


Parental Beasts

by KidWestHope16



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Agatha is too old for this shit, Alien Invasion, Alola is his do-over, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arora-chichou | Alola, Ash had Lance suspend his trainer license, Ass-Kicking, Aura User Ash, Character Death, Child Soldiers, Consequences, Cynthia Security, Delia and Lance used to date, Destruction of evidence, Diantha is a concerned aunt, Diantha is done with Lance's shit, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Especially Mew, Everyone is BAMF, Everything Hurts, Falsifying information, Families of Choice, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Good Parent Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, Guilt, Hoopa is a little shit, Hoopa is a troll, Houen-chichou | Hoenn, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, In which Lance continuously prays for death, Isshu-chihou | Unova, Jouto-chihou | Johto, Kalos-chihou | Kalos, Kanto-chihou | Kanto, Kicking ass and taking names, King of Nope Steven, Lance & Diantha & Cynthia share a sibling bond, Lance gives of college student during finals vibes, Lance is done with your shit, Lots of mayhem, Lying on the stand, Mew has a short attention span, Mew owns Lance, Mewtwo is done with these humans, Minor Character Death, Or at the very least deliberately withholding the truth, Papa Kukui, Parent Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, Past Delia Ketchum/Wataru | Lance, Pikachu ain't taking no shit, Poor Ash, Possession, Possessive Behavior, Post-Possession, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Pikachu (Pokemon), Protective Siblings, Regional councils, Religion of Alola briefly touched upon, Rotom has no idea of Ash actual trainer history, Shinoh-chihou | Sinnoh, Sibling Bonding, Steven is so done, Suffering, Survivor Guilt, Team as Family, Technically a new trainer in Alola, Temporary Character Death, Trauma, Treaties between regions, Trials, Victini is adorable, Victini is baby, War, We Nope So Hard Here, We’re in trouble, actions have consequences, champions have a duty to uphold them, get it together, i lose track, lots of characters, mama burnet, this is gonna be long, uncle lance - Freeform, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:26:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 50,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21526717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KidWestHope16/pseuds/KidWestHope16
Summary: Worst case scenario. Losing Pikachu to possession.This went beyond his worst case scenario. This went beyond the Kalos crisis grade.This was an Armageddon.Ultra Beasts had invaded, and they lost this second invasion.Pikachu, Burnet and Kukui would stop at nothing to protect Ash. Only Ash doesn't need protecting.They need saving.
Relationships: Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Carnet | Diantha & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Consequences/Everyone, Hanako | Delia Ketchum & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Hoopa & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kapu-Bururu | Tapu Bulu & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kapu-Kokeko | Tapu Koko & Satoshi Ketchum | Ash Ketchum, Kapu-Rehire | Tapu Fini & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kapu-Tetefu | Tapu Lele & Satoshi Ketchum | Ash Ketchum, Kojirou | James & Musashi | Jessie, Kojirou | James & Musashi | Jessie & Rocket-dan Nyarth | Team Rocket Meowth, Kojirou | James & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Mew & Mewtwo (Pokemon), Mew & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Mew & Wataru | Lance, Musashi | Jessie & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Ookido Yukinari-hakase | Professor Samuel Oak & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Rocket-dan Nyarth | Team Rocket Meowth & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi's Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi's Pokemon | Ash Ketchum's Pokemon, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Wataru | Lance, Shirona | Cynthia & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Victini & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Wataru | Lance & Shirona | Cynthia & Carnet | Diantha
Comments: 84
Kudos: 240





	1. We Can Change The Whole World Gonna Take It Over Gonna Start It Over

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maiden22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiden22/gifts), [stephbethallen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephbethallen/gifts), [Corpus_Callosum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corpus_Callosum/gifts), [DigiHopeheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigiHopeheart/gifts), [thunderball](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderball/gifts), [UnknownWanderer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownWanderer/gifts), [Sapphiria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphiria/gifts), [Sorachi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorachi/gifts), [ThePoeticPiplup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePoeticPiplup/gifts), [ScriptedLorekeeper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScriptedLorekeeper/gifts), [Lunar_Viper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunar_Viper/gifts), [sugarblossom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/gifts).



> I have a playlist, check it out and be destroyed by the feels.  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiexp4ppbZzrPksBuJBb8L_3ZiV3qtUoH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the Armageddon scenario. Nothing Ash has faced has been on this level. He's faced an invasion, and now this second invasion has pretty much cost him everything.
> 
> Kukui, Burnet and Pikachu just want to protect Ash. That's all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: superhero - Simon curtis

They had won. They had _won_. How had it turned out like _this?_ They'd defeated and drove back the ultra beasts that had invaded Alola. Had come back to Aether foundation to celebrate. But...

Ash watched heart sinking into his guts as his hand _missed_ Pikachu's paw by centimeters. Tentacles wrapping around his beloved partner in a parody of a loving embrace. Pikachu thrashing, electrical discharges, and then Ash hit the floor rolling. He kept rolling, getting his feet under him as he heard the sound of his partner fighting himself.

Fighting _himself_ and _losing._

 _ **Again.**_ A loud roar filled his ears, heart beating so rapidly it felt as if he couldn't breathe.

 _ **"PIKACHU!!!!!!"**_ He cried out as he was swept into the shielded arm of Tapu Koko. He struggled to break free. To return to his partner.

To _free_ him. To _save_ him.

They struck the ground hard, Ash bit his tongue tasting blood as he looked up to see Kukui-hakase. Nihilego fused to Kukui-hakase, stretching his hand out to Ash even as a tentacle wrenched Tapu Koko away from him. Tossing aside the Guardian Deity as if he were nothing.

Not even the idol of worship, he was praised as by Kukui-hakase.

Ash shakily pressed his hands to the floor and pushed himself up, unsteadily rising to his feet as fear thundered in his chest. Short stuttered breaths escaped him as he finally acknowledged the feelings of horror mounting in him.

"You're safe now Ash, just let us protect you." Kukui smiled softly, Nihilego changing color from that clear blue and white to a dark blue with a silver outline. His hair floating freely began to darken at the tips.

"Us?" He gasped, shudders wracking through him as he became aware of a cold presence behind him. He turned his head slightly and felt his knees give out as he saw Burnet-hakase, and Nihilego as one. Her color green with a forest green outline. Her hair flowing loose, was various shades of green, no longer pristine white. It was a dark forest green at the roots and grew lighter as it reached her tips, it was almost mesmerizing to watch.

"Yes. We'll keep you safe from now on. No more nightmares." She crooned floating closer. Tentacle gently nudging his chin upwards to look her in the eyes. _It was too much._ The tears he'd been holding in since the first invasion fell and all he could taste was iron and salt. A tentacle soothingly wiped away the first tear. Ash choked on a sob. Another building in his throat but he forced it down. He forced it down and reached deep into himself. He reached and then listened for the sounds of those still fighting and realized he was not alone.

Now was not the time to despair.

He hadn't lost _yet._

He was going to save everyone but first he had to pick himself and keep going. _No one_ else was going to do it for him. _No one_ else had ever done it for him. Ash reached out, hands grasping onto Burnet-hakase's tentacle and saw her smile. ~~_He'd seen her smile like that just this morning when he'd helped her make breakfast._~~

"I won't leave you, I promise." he vowed solemnly through his tears. It was only a split second, her confused look towards Kukui-hakase but Ash had been known to use the most out of any time. He twisted free and sprinted through the battlefield between humans and ultra beast.

 **"RETREAT!!!!!!!"** He screamed sliding between the legs of a Pheromosa just as Kukui-hakase attempted to grab him. Kukui-hakase was sent flying backwards, giving Ash ample time to perform Bloom Doom with Rowlet who had flown to him at his signal. The explosion took the ultra beasts by surprise and all flying Pokemon instantly took to the air, carrying any that they were able too. Ash returned all but Rowlet.

Ash had fucked up by doing that.

Pikachu had clearly anticipated his actions and blocked him from escaping. Ash wasn't going to send out Lycanroc or Torracat out into this mess. Not when Pikachu was aiming to incapacitate and was already anticipating Rowlet falling asleep before he could be of any more use. _Well two could play it that way!_ Even Pikachu didn't know all of Ash's secrets and as long as everyone that could get out was out, then Ash could always come back. _He had to come back. There was no other choice but to come back to save everyone._

"Ash, sweetie. You're hurt. Let us help you. " Burnet-hakase cooed, hands reaching out even as her tentacles remained limp at her side. Ash continued backing up until the water was at his back. Kukui-hakase had already beaten Pheromosa, a Buzzwole and another Nihilego. He was making his way towards Ash.

Ash, aware of the tear tracks running down his cheek and blood dripping down his chin, opted for the path of least resistance. His shoulders slumped as he took a single step into the water. Eyeing all the humans possessed by Nihilego. Heart clenching at the ones carelessly dropped to the floor. ~~Discarded like broken toys.~~ Then to the ones being corralled into the center, where Lusamine once more stood fused with the Nihilego.

"I will come back for you." He swore, seeing a brown haired eighteen year old crying as he clutched a ditto to his chest. The teen nodded, forcefully drying his face. Ash took another step into the water. Feet submerged to his ankles and dragged a hand across his chin, idly flicking his fingers so that his blood flew off his fingers into the water.

"Pikapi. Pikakakachupi." Pikachu babbled floating closer but Ash shook his head as he gathered Rowlet into his arms when the bird slowly began to fall asleep while flying.

"No Pikachu. I choose _you._ I _choose you_ over the _**world**_ this time." Pikachu let out a confused noise before sparking wildly as ripples filled the lake. "You remember Giratina?" Ash smiled, then tilted backwards, aware of the screams as he dropped back first into the water. The feeling of water touching his back, before suddenly finding his back touching open air. Then looking up to see Burnet-hakase, Kukui-hakase, and Pikachu above him, reaching out, a portal closing. 

A screech that faded.

Ash landed on a soft shell and felt a rumbling purr.

Hi Giratina." Ash laughed as tears began anew.


	2. We Can’t Stop The Water From Rushing In We Can’t Stop The Walls Collapsing In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash didn't have time to fall apart.  
> He had to fix his mistakes. He had to save Pikachu, Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase. He had to go back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: still water - hands like houses

Ash curled into a ball and _laughed._

He laughed until it hurt then, _cried._

He cried up all the pent up rage and sadness.

His fear.

His anxiety.

His pain.

His regrets.

He let it _all_ out.

Giratina's rumbling purrs doing nothing to soothe him. Rowlet's cooing could not soothe him.

No.

Pikachu had been the only one who could _calm_ him. Brock had been the only one who could stay his temper. And right now?

_He had neither here with him._

"Satoshi?" Ash flinched violently into himself, hands crushing Rowlet to his chest as he quickly threw himself backwards, nearly rolling off Giratina if the pokémon hadn't tilted its head so that he remained safely atop the larger serpentine legendary. Ash glanced around warily and found a man staring at him. The man looked oddly _familiar._ Blond hair, beard and sideburns with scruffy clothes and a backpack. 

"Newton?" Ash hesitantly called and the man nodded, keeping his distance, hands outstretched to show he meant know harm. Ash felt his cheeks heat up and quickly scrubbed his face with his shirt.

"May I come closer?" Ash glanced down at Giratina, the legendary simply stared at him leaving the choice up to him. Ash looked at his trembling hands and concerned Rowlet and nodded. Giratina safely lowered them down to a level that Newton could reach them and the researcher removed his pack and pulled out a box and began to rifle through it.

"I say it's been awhile since we've last seen one another hasn't it. You don't look as if you've grown at all." Ash released Lycanroc and Torracat and watched as the researcher marveled over his pokémon with a sigh of relief. Ash patched up his injuries while the man observed his pokemon. By the time he turned back Ash had cleaned his arms and legs and carefully plastered the cuts, leaving his tongue to be the only wound he could do nothing about aside from burning it with a rawst berry he split with Torracat. 

"I see you've had a rough time." Ash shrugged tersely as he crossed his legs and rested his palms on his ankles.

"I've had better yes." He edged, aware of all the concerned stares being aimed his way. He didn't have time to fall apart anymore, he had his moment. Now he had to plan. He had to check on the ones that had escaped.

"Giratina, can you help me?" The serpentine legendary nodded and snaked its way upwards, Newton opted to follow on foot.

Giratina lead them to the crystal pillars and showed him Alola. The state he had left it in.

Aether was practically in ruins being rebuilt and repurposed. The humans that had been spared were being locked away with any pokémon that had not been found to be of use. Outside of Aether, the Kahuna's were raising awareness and locking the region down from tourism while urging people to leave for safer regions. Of course many _chose_ to stay.

Many _chose_ to fight.

Many actively _chose_ to take the island challenge to get z crystals so that they could _protect_ their families and their homes.

Then Giratina directed his attention to Akala island, to the ruins of life where Tapu Koko was hurt, badly beaten by Kukui-hakase for taking Ash away. Ash flinched at the sight of so many pokémon lining up to be drain kissed. He felt his heart stutter in his chest at the sight of the ultra guardians.

All in varying states of shock.

Battered and bruised, they leaned against one another and barely seemed aware of reality around them and he knew he had to get to them. He had dragged them into this mess. Left them behind and now they were traumatized by it.

He knew they were unprepared.

Yet he'd allowed them to continue to fight even when he should have evacuated them when they were ambushed, but he had failed to. And now they were _suffering_ the consequences of his _negligence._

 _Well no more_.

He was going to _fix_ this.

He was going to make things right. Starting with getting allies that were far more capable than what Aether foundation had available. 

"Giratina, can you take me back to the world outside, to Sinnoh. I need to meet the Sinnoh Champion." Giratina tilted their head slightly, Ash sliding forward a little with the movement before the legendary roared, ripples forming and then they were off. Ash barely having time to return his pokemon and wave to Newton before he was in Sinnoh emerging from a lake in front of a house. A Lucario eyeing him before bowing slightly. 

"Please, get Cynthia." Ash pleaded, feeling exhaustion begin to weigh his limbs down and idly shrugged his shoulders trying to keep himself loose.

Lucario took off with a bark and Ash sat down rubbing Giratina's head.

"Thank you. You're helping me out so much right now." Giratina made a rumbling pleased noise and he felt a smile form.

"Giratina? And Satoshi?!" Ash glanced down relieved to see Cynthia with her pokémon ready for a battle come hell or high water. 

"Hi Cynthia." The world twisted briefly, he blinked and found himself staring up at the sky in confusion. He pushed himself up on his elbows and forcefully shook his head, a hand in his peripheral caught his attention. Cynthia was kneeling down beside him on top of Giratina. _Huh._

"Easy. Lie back down, you can continue your explanation." Ash reluctantly laid back down and let out a relieved sigh when the pounding his head died down a little.

"I'm residing in the Alola region right now. They are having this problem with Ultra Beast, some invasive species not of this world. There was an invasion yesterday..." Ash trailed off. It's been a whole day and a half of non stop fighting now. So many hurt, so many had _died._

"All will be well in time." Cynthia spoke warmly squeezing his arm, Ash forcefully exhaled and raised a hand to adjust his cap to block out the light only to reach open air. _Oh yeah_. He'd thrown his hat at a Pheromosa as a distraction. 

"It was just a distraction. There was an ambush at the Aether foundation. They _weren't prepared_ for this. _None_ of them were." Cynthia looked him in with eye knowingly. He averted his gaze.

"We fought so hard but we started to lose. The ultra beasts, Nihilego, they can possess people... and I guess some people's bodies can't handle that kind of stress." Ash shut his eyes trying to block out the vacant stares. But they seemed to be **_seared_** into his mind.

He gave himself a small shake and turned slightly to face Cynthia. She eyed him with sympathy. 

"Not a lot of them made it out, more than half of them will probably live with this for the rest of their lives though." She nodded, hands clenched tightly as if she was remembering something. Ash shuddered, it was _cold_ here in Sinnoh. It had been so _warm_ in Alola.

"Ash, where's Pikachu?" Ash squeezed his eyes shut.

**_Pikachu was tossed away from him._ **

**_Ash ran after him, abandoning the scared ultra rangers, even as the other ultra Guardians continued to fight. Ash reached, desperation in every fiber of his being._ **

**_His partner weakly reached out a paw._ **

**_Ash dove, closing the distance between until a scant few centimeters remained. White tentacles appeared nearly engulfing his partner, he was almost there!_ **

"I **missed."** Ash choked out. Hands rising up of their own violation to press against his eyes.

"I left everything in ruins." Ash whispered painfully aware of the hand still holding onto his arm. 

"No you didn't. Nothing is ruined, not if there is still a chance to fight. And there is, otherwise you wouldn't be _**here."**_ Ash pulled his hands away from his eyes and turned to face Cynthia, her expression soft as she helped him sit up. 

"What else do you need?" Ash briefly chewed his lip then nodded. 

"I need the Champions and the elite four from Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos to mount an attack on the Aether foundation. But you won't be alone." Ash grinned down at Giratina and patted their crest earning a soothing rumble. "I'm going to be calling for help from a lot of friends too. But first I need to check on a few people first." Cynthia frowned softly, facing her lucario on the ground. Lucario nodded, she took a deep breath then faced Ash.

"Very well. I assume Giratina will help transport us?" Ash glanced down then thought about his plans and the amount of people needed before nodding.

"Yeah. Giratina, I need you to find Hoopa, then help Cynthia find everyone she needs too." Giratina gave a short rumbling cry before they began to sink into the reverse world once more.

Ash bid Giratina farwell and climbed the rest of the way to the ruins of life seeing that he could only be dropped off on a cliff by the ocean or by the waterfall nearly a mole away. Ash didn't have time so he opted for the path of least resistance and went for rock climbing. 

He reached the top in time to see Tapu Koko healed along with Gladion, Mallow, Kiawe, Lana, Sophocles, and Lillie. They looked as if they had recovered while he talked with Cynthia.

That was good.

"Hey guys!" Ash greeted cheerfully once he set his feet down fully on the floor. They jumped and turned to face him in surprise. He took a single step forward, when his knees buckled. He cursed as he pushed his arms out to stop his fall only, to have his arms give way as well. He huffed then slowly maneuvered himself into a sitting position and became aware of a crowding issue.

"Er, hi?" He waved sheepishly, twitching when Gladion poked his temple.

Lillie smacked his hand.

Kiawe poked Ash next and was smacked by Mallow.

"Don't even think about it Sophocles."

"I'm not a ghost." Ash grumbled annoyed.

That seemed to break the tension and soon everyone was screaming questions at him left and right.

Ash sort of... stopped listening and focused on all the pokémon lying unconscious on the floor. On the Tapus looking battered and weary.

His heart throbbed. 

~~_He wonders if he brought this upon them._ ~~

~~_Having danger follow him like a demented lover_~~.

"Ash?" Ash slowly became aware of the silence and glanced back to see that everyone had fallen silent and was watching him with concern which irritated him. But he was also feeling very irritable because of pain and exhaustion so it could be excused. 

~~Maybe.~~

"Are you okay?" Mallow asked, concern coloring her voice as she eyed the various bandages. Ash shrugged before recalling that he hadn't released his pokémon and let them out. They instantly settled down around him. Standing guard. As if replacing Pikachu because he could not support Ash.

Ash forcefully shoved down the feelings welling up and faced Mallow with a serious expression.

"I'm leaving my pokémon with you. I need you to look after them for me." He stated and rose to his feet, brushing past Kiawe and Gladion. He headed straight for the Guardian Deities. Aware of the silence behind him. The scrambling, followed by Lycanroc and Torracat halting the Ultra Guardians from continuing forward.

_**This was no longer their fight to fight.** _

"Are you going to continue to fight?" He asked without preamble, the Deities facing him without fanfare. They nodded, pledging themselves and Ash bowed back in return. A soft whirring sound catching his attention.

_"Hoopa."_

"Aw! Hoopa wanted to surprise Ashkan! Giratina told Hoopa everything so Hoopa will help."

"Thanks Hoopa." Ash smiled, even though he felt awful he wasn't going to let Hoopa see him feel it.

Hoopa didn't Ash's irritation taken on on him.

He accepted the offered hug from the djinn mythical.

It felt wrong. 

**~~_This wasn't his partner and it was not the same._ ~~ **


	3. It Hurts To Know We're Worlds Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kukui, Burnet and Pikachu come together to create a perfect utopia that will keep Ash safe. Along the way Pikachu tells the two what Ash never willingly speaks about.
> 
> The Champions are on the move. Even with the chance that all of this will end with a permanent mark on their records. Even when they would be made to speak to the council for the actions. Waging war against Alola.  
> For Ash, they would cross treaties to give him the help he so desperately asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: degrees of separation - hands like houses
> 
> Burnet and Kukui berserker mode is based off Scriptedlorekeeper's design aside from the color and changes made to both Burnet and Kukui.

Kukui howled when he missed Ash by _mere_ inches. Portal into some unknown world with the legendary Giratina directly beneath his keiki. The peaceful smile that Ash wore as he fell back did nothing to soothe Kukui who knew that Ash was in _danger._ That Ash was going to be having even _more_ nightmares that he just would not talk about. 

Kukui glanced up from his reflection by the thunder wave that splintered a tree in half to find Pikachu spitting mad. 

"Pikapikachuka!" He spat, and Kukui could not understand him the way that Ash could, but he now felt that he could follow his thought pattern. And they were thinking along the same lines.

_**Legendaries.** _

And how they were nothing but trouble, the cause of countless nightmares and scars. 

"We'll get him back, we'll need to make this place safer until we do." Burnet interjected cutting through the haze of rage. Kukui and Pikachu shared a look and nodded as they turned to face the battlefield.

They took in the sight of countless soldiers that littered the ground. They took in the soldiers and employees that had been rounded up alongside the pokémon that were being forcibly removed from their homes and then took in the mess that was left behind in the once peaceful greenery of Aether Paradise.

Craters littered the ground. Debris.

Smoke lazily hung in the air.

Various ultra beasts slinking away back into the ultra wormholes.

"Right. First things first, we need to make this place a fortress." Kukui looked to Lusamine, the Aether president glared coldly at him, he narrowed his eyes realizing that she would be a problem.

She _never_ had Ash's health in mind and had instead sent him off to battle time and again. 

Had made him feel _uncomfortable_ **in his home**.

That wouldn't do at all.

"This is my territory Kukui." She near hissed rising to her full height which fell pitifully short of Burnet. (Didn't it used to be the other way around?)

Pikachu dismissed her with a simple tail flick and Burnet was already asserting her dominance over several other Nihilego. It was up to Kukui to put her in her place.

Which he would _gladly_ do for the sake of his keiki and for Lillie and Gladion who grew up without a mother.

Kukui wasted no time, he struck hard and he struck fast. Lusamine clearly had not anticipated this and was struck down. She sent put her pokemon as if that could feasibly stop Kukui. He simply sent a few poison stings their way and they were down for the count. He could see fear lurking in her eyes as he took down her pokémon without once breaking eye contact with her. 

He could feel a power lurking within him. Ready to be unleashed. He simply needed to channel it properly. And he did.

Rocks rose from the ground, rapidly growing and enclosed Lusamine in one space while Kukui hovered before her. She stared up at him in true fear. Head bowed fully, tentacles limp as she submitted. He snorted and let her be.

She could think about what's she done until he was ready to remove stone edge.

Some grass Pokemon were using grass knot to heal the terrain. Employees and ultra rangers were carrying the limp bodies out of the paradise and being charged with dumping them into the morgue so that they would not become a bother later on.

Kukui made a note to have them properly disposed of before Ash arrived, no need to traumatize him with that.

Burnet turned around to face him with a small frown at the state of the pokemon. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. He went back for the Pokemon and carried them gently in his arms, keeping his stingers away, and brought them to some of the unbonded.

"Have them looked after." He ordered then turned around to find Pikachu staring at their reflection.

"Anything we should worry about?" He asked, an ear flicked his way to show that Pikachu was listening but the electric mouse didn't answer. Kukui let him be for the moment and went to see what else could do to fortify Aether.

Turns out that Stone edge could create a veritable fortress if used the right way in conjunction with the hive. Crystals surrounded the building, protecting it from intruders.

  
  


* * *

"Pipichupikapi. Pikapika chupichu." Muttered Pikachu catching Burnet's interest. She glanced at him and then at the fully restored paradise. She and Kukui had a select few scouts that they were planning on sending out to find Ash but Pikachu was saying that was useless. That Ash was not one to think the way others did and it was a waste of their time to try.

"Where would Ash be? What do you suggest then?" Kukui asked thoughtfully, if anyone knew how Ash thought it'd be his partner. 

"Pika." He shrugged. Kukui sighed. Burnet shrugged, looking at the restored paradise. The perfect utopia for their keiki. Where he could be safe with the pokemon he loved. He would have no reason to have anymore nightmares. They had the power to protect him now.

They could protect his smile. Offer their shoulders to him for comfort. No more silent tears, hiding after screaming nightmares. They had strength to back their vows of protection, he would be able to lean on them now.

Well even if knowing how his partner thought didn't exactly translate, they were at least aware that Ash was not going to be in Alola at the moment but would return. 

"We could always look at Ash's previous leagues to get a feel for how he thinks right? We don't want to hurt him, but he might hurt himself if we aren't careful." Burnet and Kukui much to their chagrin realized that Ash would needlessly endanger himself.

As they delved into Ash's trainer history, they discovered with much horror so much red tape and redacted information.

When they questioned Pikachu, Pikachu simply made a face then in a venomous tomlne of voice whispered **_legendaries,_** as if that explains everything. And it actually did in a way.

Pikachu told them everything. Everything that Ash kept close to his chest.

Secrets never before spoken aloud to human ears.

The _reason_ for nightmares. 

For _silence._

For _tears_ and _vacant_ stares.

For shaking and _abject terror_ of cold.

For _shrinking_ away from _them._

Explained the need to pretend nothing happened to move on or else fall to the floor and never get up. Explained the scientists. The villains. The fanaticism to end the world.

The _C_ _h osen One_. And all that it entailed.

And Burnet and Kukui could only listen in stunned horror at the exploits. Could understand the vehement anger Pikachu felt for legendaries.

For humans that went above their stature to play god and meddle with things that should not be trifled with.

Kukui and Burnet were in agreement that even with this safe haven they created for Ash that was not enough. _They had to do more_. They were going to raze the world to the ground all the harm that it had caused their keiki. Though they would of course spare the innocent. 

They had no need to become like those monsters that had caused Ash so much trouble.

He would only look at them in betrayal if they became like those monsters he stopped. 

* * *

"First things first. We need to take down team rocket." Kukui said only to have Pikachu raise their paw.

"Pi. Pichuchuchu." He replied with a negative head shake to their confusion. Shouldn't the trio that bother Ash and Pikachu the most be at the top of the list?

Why spare them?

"Pichu." He stated simply. What did frenemies have to do with anything? Pikachu seemed to grow tired of their conversation. 

"Pikapi pipi." Well, if it upsets Ash, they wouldn't touch them but if they set a foot out of line then they were getting a no holds barred beatdown.

"Sir! There are intruders outside the fortress!" A look out stationed above shouted drawing their attention. Kukui flicked an arm and freed Lusamine allowing her to lead a small portion to scout out the intruders.

"Their mounting an attack! It's the Champions of other regio-" the scout was cut off by an explosion and a shower of crystal. The scout was one incapable of attack so he retreated and one capable of defense took their place. 

"There are legendaries gathering outside. The Champions and some elite four are riding them or their own pokémon." Lusamine reported warily as Pikachu sparked.

"Pikapikapikapi!!!!" He shouted, cutting a paw through the air with a violent stroke. What happened in unova to have them declared a wasteless bag of mass shaped into humanoid form?

Kukui let Pikachu steam and went to take a peek himself. There stood Champion Diantha standing astride of Latias.

Champion Cynthia stood on Giratina.

Champion Steven stood on top of his Metagross but Lugia was near him.

Champion Lance was standing on the writhing, coiling mass of Rayquaza.

And Champion Alder was somehow riding Kyogre? Wasn't Kyogre water type?

Kyogre was not a flying type, yet somehow the water type was flying. It threw Kukui for a loop before he mentally shrugged and glanced around to see that they were completely surrounded on all sides. Psychic and flying types aside with members of the elite four for all regions were spaced out. The only legendaries were directly ahead of him with the champions astride them. 

Kukui returned to the nest and briefly explained what he'd seen to Burnet who worriedly float paced. 

"Why are they here? What will they get out of this?" She asked agitated at the lack of knowledge. Then without warning something struck their crystalline structure.

It was dragon ascent. Rayquaza's specialty. 

"Prepare for battle." Kukui ordered grimly, the scouts capable of battle moving to the forefront while those who could not moved inward to join Lusamine to keep the perimeter from being breached. It was the least they could do, canon fodder would only hinder the hive, not help it.

They were all linked in a way.

Sharing thoughts, emotions, plans, and being influenced by Kukui, Burnet and Pikachu and their need to create a safe haven for Ash. 

Those unbonded humans were left to tend to the pokémon that way Ash would stay surrounded by the beauty of nature and pokemon that he loved.

The unbonded Nihilego were forcefully educated on keeping their prying arms away from Ash. His aura was to remain untouched and pure.

He was **not** their meal ticket.

And any caught trying to drain him of it would suffer the consequences. Just because they were linked didn't mean they didn't have ways to instill punishment amongst individuals. 

"Pikapikapikakachu." Pikachu said gesturing to the specific individuals that Ash had grown accustomed to and would take it as an assault to himself if they were seriously injured. Kukui made note and spread it to the collective to try to keep Champions Cynthia, Lance, Steven and Diantha from harm. And of the elite four to keep Agatha, Bruno, Lucian, Drake, Flint, Aaron and Bertha.

* * *

The other ones Pikachu dismissed with a tail flick as no attachment.

The _legendaries of course_ were to be taken down with extreme precedence. 

Starting with the fire chicken and thunder quacker who knew Ash was the Chosen One and still chose him to take their anger out on back in Kalos.

Pikachu and Kukui were sent to defend the north where the Champions and legendaries were located while Burnet and the scouts spread out to take on the elite four of the other regions.

It was going to be messy.

There was going to be a lot of destruction and chaos which is exactly why they had to defend from the outside rather than in. _They would not have their hard work ruined._ Not when something like this meant that Ash was probably back on his way to them. Either leading a frontal assault or a stealthy yet subtle approach.

Pikachu knew Ash's plans of attack. Had learned to anticipate his thoughts. Battling together for some many years had forged a strong bond. 

_A bond that he cherished more than anything. He would protect his trainer with a too forgiving heart._

Pikachu idly sent a few non combatants to the small areas of Aether that were less likely to be noticed for someone to slip in. Of course civilians would not think to check these places for someone slipping it. But Pikachu knew Ash as well as he knew his tail.

Pikachu glanced at his tail, a scratch decorating it, that was _new._

* * *

Kukui wasted no time in leading the assault. He wasn't going to wait for explanations. The Champions had clearly violated regional rights and declared war on Alola by being here in full capacity as Champions with their teams _and_ legendaries. He wasn't going to hold back.

Not when they had creates a place where Ash would be safe from carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Where he could be free of obligations and cared for. Where he could be with the pokemon that he loved while they made they world a place that he could live in. A world he _would_ live for.

Here, they wouldn't allow him to fight alone.

Wouldn't let him get hurt.

Or _die_ for things beyond his control. They would **_protect_** him from all harm.

He didn't need to be part of a world that so callously abandoned someone to die for it.

They'd make sure that world didn't exist by the time they were through with it.

His keiki would be safe. 

* * *

Burnet was a taken aback to see the Unovan legendary Zekrom. Along with a Suicune riding atop it.

"Sorry Zekrom, but I will not stop even for you. My keiki deserves better. BETTER THAN TO DIE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD!!!!" She shrieked arms, tentacles flashing silver as she struck hard and fast.

Zekrom went tumbling head over heels before it managed to right itself nearly thirty feet away. Suicune had gracefully jumped off and was making its way to the water pokemon entrance. 

"Oh no you don't!" She spat diving for the swift legendary only to dodge a bolt of blue lightning. She flicked an arm and several scouts went after the other legendary. 

"We don't have to fight." Agatha stated, hands crossed on top of her staff as she watched Burnet. Burnet remembers looking up to this woman for years as a child. Her no nonsense attitude and untold strength that had not waned in years made her an inspiration to many.

But _now,_ she was in Burnet's way, trying to stop her from creating a place that could protect her keiki.

Keep him safe from the horrors of the world that no child should face.

From invisible scars in his heart that he refused to speak of. From the nightmares and smiles so painful they didn't seem real. She _wanted_ to _protect_ him from the tears he shed when no one was looking except Pikachu, because he didn't trust anyone.

For all that he laughed and loved and shared.

He didn't _trust,_ and that _hurt._

A green shimmer entered the edges of her vision and Agatha clenched her hands atop her staff.

"I see you've chosen dear. Don't regret this." She lifted her staff slightly then tapped it to the Dragonite she was standing on and a shadow creeped out of her staff. Once the shadow had fully emerged a brilliant light came from her staff and touched the shadow. MegaGengar had been called to battle.

No one had beaten this particular pokémon in years. Not since champion Lance. And some _unknown_ trainer.

* * *

Pikachu let down lightning strike after lightning strike. Electro ball after volt tackle. He'd taken down Kyogre with a fierce prejudice, and champion Alder had been an afterthought even if the man did try to genuinely put up a fight. Pikachu had too much resentment over his and Ash's treatment in unova though to bare even a second of pity. 

"Pikachu! Think of Ash!" How _dare_ they think he wasn't thinking of Ash! It was _he_ who _protected_ Ash from humans and Pokemon who meant him harm.

It was _he_ who _cuddled_ with Ash after nightmares.

It was _he_ who dried his Pikapi's _tears_ and _comforted_ him when everything became _too_ much and his failures and losses _weighed_ heavily on his _soul_ that his shoulders dragged and a smile seemed as if it would never grace his face.

How _dare_ they assume that Pikachu would ever _not think_ about the safety and happiness of his Pikapi.

His vision turned yellow. Rage consumed him.

" _ **Calm Chosen Partner**_." Lugia crooned, haunting melody humming but Pikachu would not take these insults.

_Not when every legendary has taken and taken and **taken** from his Pikapi. _

_Taken and **given** nothing in return. _

_**Nothing** but pain and scars. _

_Nothing but **tears** and fears. _

~~_Nothing but trauma and the weary sense of the inevitable death so close yet so far and **never permanent.**_ ~~

  
  


* * *

Kukui didn't wait, blue tinged the edges of his vision.

His mind humming with rage as Pikachu and Burnet engaged. He wasted no time in taking on the Zapdos and Moltres. That Pikachu had been aware of even when neither Kukui nor the scouts had seen them. Though it made sense that he knew the patterns the legendaries would use, seeing that he and Ash seem to regularly encounter them. 

' _They fight amongst themselves, can't work together_.' Pikachu seemed to say even as he struck down Kyogre with a dark thirst for vengeance. Kukui took the advice to heart as he slammed his arm, tentacles into moltres and spun out of the way of Zapdos' thunder. The thunder striking Moltres who shrieked and returned fire with flamethrower.

Kukui simply battered them down with rock throw and stone edge when they hit the ground.

The two bird legendaries were down for the count. And enraged shriek caught his attention and he saw a battered Lugia eyeing him with rage. Pikachu wasn't one to be ignored and continued his frontal assault. 

The legendary finally succumbing to his injuries when Kukui hurled crystal spires.

The legendary hit the ocean along Champion Steven who had been fighting alongside him. His metagross being recalled before they hit the ocean.

Kukui let the Champion be when the man quickly surfaced, so long as the man lived then they could take care of any injuries. 

"Articuno to me!" That was the frontier brain Noland. What was he doing here? Articuno appeared and took one look at the downed Moltres and Zapdos then let out an enraged shriek. Ice beam, followed by a mist meant to disorient Kukui was immediately followed by a steel wing which Pikachu appeared at his side to block. The Articuno seemed to chirp at Pikachu who violently waved a paw, tentacle slamming into the ice type. 

"Water pulse!" Someone cried, Kukui flicked a tentacle, a protect flickered into view and shielded him. Pikachu was already off to face Champion Diantha and Latias with a squad of ten.

Kukui let him be.

"Kukui of Alola, is this what you've allowed yourself to become?" Champion Lance queried, expression as cold as the day that Kukui had failed to beat him. Scorn in his eyes as he eyed Kukui and his Incineroar.

"For my Keiki? _Yes._ I won't fail him the way _you_ have. The way that the _world_ has." Kukui could see more of his vision tinting blue and wondered what it meant but put the matter aside, for now, he had to worry about Champion Lance. 

"No one has failed Ash, he-" Kukui cut him off by sharply cutting through the air with a tentacle. 

"Lies! It's taken and _taken_ from him. Given only _pain_ and _suffering!_ I won't _allow_ him to suffer anymore! _**And you won't stop us from keeping him safe**_!" Champion Lance's expression softened from the harsh look, sympathy lining his expression.

"You can not protect him like _this._ Ash will suffer even more if you do. He _loves_ the world and the pokémon in it _too_ much to remain stationary. " Kukui felt a wave of acknowledgement and regret from Pikachu, followed by denial and the _urge_ to protect rose in _him._

In _Pikachu._

In the _collective_ mind the urge to protect became **stronger.**

  
  


They were going to keep him safe.

Ash would _learn_ to be happy here with them.

They would have people and Pokémon. 

They would have nature.

The ocean, forests and access to medicine and technology.

Ash would feel stifled but Ash genuinely loved Alola. He would come to love Aether the same. And once they had brought the rest of the world to heel Ash would be free to come and go as he pleased. With Pikachu and a few of the auxiliaries to provide protection and medical attention.

They would provide him with the world that he _deserved._

A world that would _not hurt._

A world that would _not cause him pain_.

A world _without_ nightmares that left him disconsolate in the arms of his Pikachu. 

A world that _he could trust._

A world where he could _smile_ and really _mean_ it.

"You don't understand. " Kukui uttered, then struck hard. Rayquaza didn't even have time to dodge and Champion Lance quickly threw out several pokeballs. He sent out Altaria, a red Gyarados, Dragonite, and Salamence. He quickly was caught by the altaria a shine enveloping them as Kukui tried to hammer Rayquaza before it could regain itself.

* * *

Burnet panted, Zekrom and Suicune were in craters in the ground, and MegaGengar had finally gone down. Several other Pokemon were also lying unconscious around her but she paid them no mind as they were of little consequence to her. Several soldiers were down for the count as well and had to be lifted and taken back to the hive by scouts that were defending the perimeter.

Burnet swiped a hand across her forehead and glanced at her remaining opponents.

Agatha, astride Champion Lance's Dragonite. Bruno standing on a borrowed Salamance with his fighting type unconscious on the ground. Lucian with his Kadabra and Flint who was also floating thanks to Lucian's Kadabra. 

"Now Palkia, Dialga come forth and join us." Agatha smirked, Burnet found that she loathed that look.

She readied herself despite the hatred simmering in her belly. Her hand raised, tentacle pulsing with a faint pattern. She was curious but the green in her vision spread as did her rage and she threw the thought aside.

For her kieki she would fight unto the last.

* * *

"Ash misses you Pikachu." Cynthia stated as Giratina floated before the electric mouse.

Pikachu was soft for the serpentine legendary. This legendary had made amends. Had halted a fight at the sight of Ash and greeted them cheerfully. Pikachu was also soft for Cynthia who had helped Ash.

Believed in him. Had taken his side.

Also gave very good chin scratches, not that they could compare to Ash's.

No one could _ever_ compare to Ash's gentle ministrations. 

"Please, Ash would not want this. You know more than anyon-" Pikachu waved her off. No.

What Pikachu was doing was _**different!**_

Pikachu didn't want to end the world. Pikachu wanted to save it from the greedy and corrupt likes of team rocket, plasma, magma, aqua, galactic and flare.

They wanted to _end_ the world for selfish reasons. Thinking they were above others when they were more corrupt. 

Pikachu would never harm an innocent. Aside from that first day with Ash, Pikachu knew better.

Ash would choose the world over and over again.

Only.

 _Only_ that was wrong, wasn't it?

**_"No Pikachu. I choose you. I choose you over the world this time." Ash smiled peacefully as the lake below him rippled._ **

"Hey Pikachu! This time you'll definitely be ours!" Pikachu knew that voice.


	4. I Won't Leave And Let You Fall Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessie, James and Meowth had drawn a line in the sand. Years ago they made a teuce with the twerp that in times of crisis they would be alloes and he could count of their help.  
> This crisis seemed to be the worst one yet. Never before had the twerp seemed so, tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: into the nothing - breaking Benjamin

Team Rocket took one look at Ash's battered state sans Pikachu, with four Guardian Deities, and the ring trickster from Kalos. They remembered the invasion and returned their Pokemon, gestured for Bewear to let them have a moment and then Jessie and James each took one hand in theirs and looked Ash in the eye.

"How bad is it twerp?" Meowth asked, seeing that look in Ash's eyes that meant he was not far from a total collapse but was literally holding it together through sheer force of will. 

"They took over Aether. A lot of people _died."_ He stared at the ground, expression blank as he filled them in. Voice completely monotone and never shifting as he described everything. There was a minute of silence before he slowly raised his head.

" _Help me... please_." Meowth knew they'd agree before the twerp had even finished speaking. This was a true shitstorm. One that nearly eclipsed them all. _Hell_ , The only thing that would top it is if they were to die by Yvelta again.

"Of course we'll help twerp. If there isn't a powerful Pikachu to steal then how can we impress the boss." James exclaimed squeezing the twerp's hand.

Jessie dug her elbow into his ribs.

"You moron. If there isn't a world, there won't be a boss to present Pikachu to." But she was also squeezing the twerp's hand, eyes lingering on the torn sleeve of his shirt that exposed a vivid bruise. It wrapped around his arm, elbow and bicep. It was _p_ _ainful_ to even look at, yet the twerp didn't flinch when Jessie slid her hand up his arm.

He looked _tired._

 _Drained._ But here he was seeking out allies, gathering reinforcements. Giving out intel, injuries treated but still hurting. 

**Time for an intervention**. 

"We still have time yet, you said it'd be twenty minutes right? Get some sleep i know you've been up since yesterday. And this morning.y him" Jessie ordered dragging him behind her while James pushed him along. The twerp stumbled after them leaving Meowth with the deities. 

"Why didn't you heal the twerp? He's dead on his feet?" The healer shook her head with a look of irritation. 

"Lelelelelele." She griped gesturing to the orange deity, who despite being healed was still pretty injured.

"I see. So dos tings not bein' of dis world makes it harder tah heal anyone touched by 'em." Meowth nodded before whipping around to look after the twerp when he collapsed.

Jessie and James simply picked up his arms and legs and brought him over to Bewear who prodded his injuries and left to gather more berries.

* * *

"Twenty minutes till show time." Jessie crossed her arms under her chest and peered at her companions, feeling anxious and afraid but shoved the feelings down.

She had to remain _strong_ for **_them._**

She had to seem strong and capable or James would start freaking out and Meowth would lose confidence. It was on her shoulders to keep them together in times of crisis.

It was Meowth who kept them _together_ in the day to life and James who was their _reason_ to keep going.

To avoid the shackles of society.

To remain who they were no matter what they were forced to do and keep their ideals. 

Jessie scoffed to herself at the thought of the Champions believing the twerp when he said he would bring Arceus. They clearly didn't know a thing about the God. If they did they would know the God arrive would have been foretold months in advance. Just like back then in Alamos town, when Dialga and Palkia fought over the distortions caused by the God's arrival in the future. 

They were going to be in for a nasty surprise when the twerp dropped a third of his plans and went with something completely new.

For all their care, they missed a lot. They didn't have synergy with him the way Jessie, James and Meowth did.

"Whattaya tink we should do to catch Pikachu's attention?" Meowth asked meanwhile James was helping Bewear treat the twerp's injuries and bandage them again. 

"Be ourselves. That always does the trick." She shrugged eyeing Mimikyu before nodding to herself. 

"Mimikyu. This is not a fight you can win. Pikachu is being possessed by a powerful being and will not hesitate to destroy you."

Mimikyu peered up at her, reluctantly nodding in understanding as it turned to look at the twerp. 

* * *

James could understand how Mimikyu felt. Seeing the twerp like this he looked completely different from the battle ready trainer, standing tall and looking fierce. He looked different from the Alolan student, soft and kind but ready to lend a hand.

He was a kid.

 _Hurting and afraid_.

On his last legs, fighting because he had _no choice_. **No one** to _lean_ on and **no one** to _take_ his burden.

"Being the Chosen One is a heavy burden." James whispers softly, catching Jessie's eye. Jessie frowned at him then faced the twerp with a soft look.

"We made the right decision not telling the boss. Don't regret it now, we keep our word." She uttered sternly, James shook his head.

"I wasn't regretting it!" He protested, lowering his voice when the twerp began to stir and Jessie glared harshly at him. Meowth curled up directly beside the twerp and he instantly relaxed falling back to sleep.

"Dis is how we used tah sleep in Unova. Keep it down, we still have time." Meowth grumbled as he shut his eyes for a cat nap. Sometimes James _envied_ his ability to fall asleep.

But at this moment he doesn't think he could sleep. He glanced down his own Pokemon, mareanie was worriedly staring at the twerp and he sighed.

"He'll be fine. He'll heal, slap a smile on his face and keep going as if none of this happened." James gathered the poison type close and shut his eyes, feeling so much regret. "And so will we." After the first time the twerp had hugged them and asked where they stood. They made it perfectly clear where they stood. But James wonders if they should have made the line murkier.

They could see how much the twerp needed someone to rely on after he lost the reliable twerp. 

"Mare?" James shook his head.

"We can't fix this, this is something he has to fix." James knows he won't. Even now James doesn't trust anyone. Never trusted anyone in team rocket aside from Meowth and Jessie. The twerp had several people but they were never really permanent additions even if they returned every once in a while.

The only one that really had the twerp's _trust_ was the rock gym leader twerp.

And after he left they could see the difference it made. The twerp was left to flounder. He could take care of himself and his pokémon.

But after an incident he seemed lost.

Aside from checking in to make sure the rocket trio were fine he didn't seem to know what to do with himself. Couldn't begin to look after himself the way the older twerp had when he had to look after the newer twerps so inexperienced. 

_Especially_ the Kalos twerps.

So _green_ to the world as if they had been sheltered all their lives. In the unova twerps were more experienced. 

"James, get some rest. I'll wake you up in ten." James instantly objected. 

"Then you'll only get seven minutes. I'll take a seven minute rest, then you can take the ten." Jessie made to argue before snapping her lips shut and hissed at him.

"We don't exactly have time to argue. Have it your way." James eyed her warily but trusted her to keep her word. 

* * *

Meowth woke up and stretched quickly bathing his face before checking the time and then stuck his paw in the twerp's mouth.

Hacking coughs woke up Jessie and James turned around at the sound of all the coughing. 

"Meowth! I told you to stop putting your paw in my mouth! Especially if it hasn't been washed! No cream for you!" The twerp lectured holding Meowth up under the arms to stare him in the eyes.

Silence. No one moved. 

No one blinked. Someone snickered. 

Someone else snorted. Meowth had _never_ felt such humiliation. 

"Twerp." The twerp made a confused noise as he glanced around, mouth dropping open as he realized his faux paz. "Fury swipe." Meowth's claws took on a silver white sheen as they elongated. The twerp dropped him to clutch at his cheek with a hiss.

"Yeah, I deserved that. Sorry." He muttered petulantly crossing his legs as he licked his hand and rubbed his cheek. Meowth turned away to glare at Jessie and James who had their hands clutched to their faces as they attempted to smother themselves.

"Koko." The moment was broken as the Guardian deities floated forward. Jessie and James stood and readied supplies in a bag to bring. 

"You can't come with us to this." Meowth told the Bewear as she made to follow. She tilted her head then looked to the twerp who looked pale and exhausted as he hugged his arms close as if to ward off a chill while he calmly spoke with the Guardian Deities.

She nodded then pointed to Jessie, James and Meowth then back at their nest.

Meowth nodded in understanding. 

"We'll come back. The twerp will make sure of it." he said, guilt already enveloping him at the thought. He knows the twerp hadn't told anyone else what he'd planned to do. The Champions and elite four along with the legendaries he was asking for help.

None of them were aware of the twerp's character. 

"Dey'll all _see._ He's had **_enough_** now." Meowth whispered seeing the way the twerp had hidden his hands when they _wouldn't stop shaking_.

  
  


* * *

Here they were, catching Pikachu's attention. Aware of the eyes of the champions.

Of the elite four.

Of the world.

By law the champions were to wear body cameras if they showed up in another region and participated in battles to present to the courts to show that no laws were being broken. That no region was planning an invasion as Kanto and Unova had done to Alola.

Good thing they had gone through with disguises.

"Hey Pikachu! This time you'll definitely be ours!" Jessie exclaimed, idly glaring at Meowth so he didn't speak. His temporarily dyed fur made him blend in as an Alolan Meowth which works in their favor. No one would guess team rocket was here in this mess. Just some crazy people in Alola. 

* * *

Jessie was a little scared of Pikachu. 

Pikachu with that weird Nihilego beast was kinda small and yellow, sparking wildly as if he was sick with too much electricity. There were diamond like patterns on the tentacles and he was swimming in the see through membrane whereas the humans all had their legs sticking out.

 _It was horrifying._

The dead expression the twerp wore as he explained everything. The absolute _absence_ of emotion as he told them about Pikachu being swallowed.

They were not going to make the mistake of being caught. They were going to buy time and then get the hell out of dodge.

* * *

"You down there get out of here!" James saw the snarl twist Jessie's face and instantly twisted around so that he was pressed to her back and looked at the z ring on his wrist then eyed the one on Jessie's wrist.

_**"These z crystals are for the Tapus. Use them wisely. It's gonna get real messy real quick. And drain you twice as fast." the twerp had said passing them each a crystal as he kept two for himself then made his way to the ring trickster from Kalos.** _

"Pikapikapikapichupi!!" Pikachu shouted, James almost asked for a translation but instead synchronized his movements to Jessie's. They raised a twirling hand to the air, swept it down in and ended in an elegant bow.

Sparkles floating down to heal the pokemon lying unconscious on the floor.

Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu arrived from above and Pikachu's agitated state became more obvious as the yellow color seemed to seep more into the the Nihilego possessing him.

The diamonds darkened and Pikachu's eyes turned yellow.

* * *

Kukui could feel rage fill him, he turned away from the downed elite four members, names a blur in his memory as he sighted the Guardian deities that couldn't leave his keiki in peace. He glanced down one last time to make sure they were down and was violently struck by dragon rage. He was slammed into the crystalline structure and fury filled him.

His vision entirely blue, he lifted himself out of the dent he made.

Smoothed it over with a simple twitch of his finger then pointed out all of his tentacles at Rayquaza and fired the rage and frustration at it. Hyper beam struck Rayquaza and it was finally down for the count.

* * *

Burnet could feel rage thrumming in the collective. It filled her.

_Consumed her._

And she allowed it.

"Let's end this." She whispers menacingly eyes narrowed as her vision turned completely green.

Entei, Reshiram and Raikou were before her and her battalion. Only Agatha and some knight stood before her, the others having fallen.

"This is our Keiki's utopia, I will not allow you to ruin it." Burnet said, tentacles flashing silver white as she moved to lash out at Entei when something dashed ahead of her.

She pulled to a sudden stop.

Ash stood before her arms out as he blocked her from Entei. He was pale, and bruised with torn clothing and bandages encircled him heavily in some areas. An unknown pokemon floated beside him, it almost looked like Mew only purple and bigger.

"Ash." She breathed, Ash slowly turned his head from side to side, biting his lips as he glared at her. The green sheen faded out completely.

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Agatha, but she went unanswered as Ash's breathing hitched but he kept a brave face.

"This has to stop. Now." Ash said softly lowering his arms, the Pokemon looked at Ash and nodded its head before floating off. Then Ash moved forward and stopped a foot away from Burnet.

 _"Please."_ he pleads softly, eyes taking on a wounded quality that had her heart softening as she sent out the order without a second's hesitation. Kukui coming down beside her, eyes equally soft as Ash eyed them both.

Ash hugged himself and bowed his head.

"No more fighting. _I'm tired."_ He whispered brokenly.

Kukui and Burnet shared a look and nodded.

"Okay. No more fighting." they agreed, Ash's shoulders slumped and he nodded. 

"Come here Keiki, let's get somewhere safe." Ash flinched back from the arm Kukui had extended, Kukui flinched as he took in the vivid bruise wrapped around Ash's bicep. He lowered his hand and instead gestured for Ash to move forwards.

Which he did much to the protest of the champions and elite four members. 

* * *

Cynthia watched with her heart in her throat as Satoshi walked between Professors Burnet and Kukui. He looked so small and defeated.

Why had he gone back on his plan to have Hoopa bring Arceus?

Why had he come when he had promised to stay out of it?

She knows he had been practically dead on his feet when she'd finally gotten everyone into one place and then had Giratina grab Satoshi who had explained everything in a defeated tone.

Had told them his plan, rejected every single plan anyone tried to propose then chucked them into the reverse world when they tried to protest that he as a no named trainer with no certifications could not feasibly tell them what to do.

Cynthia had chuckled darkly when Giratina spat them out and watched as they were put in place by Alder who was regularly kept up to date by the other Champions on potential world ending crises.

Thus knew about Satoshi and his skills.

But Satoshi had clearly tired of the prolonged battle and had seen fit to buy them time and gave them reprieve by simply surrendering himself.

"Gather the wounded and retreat for now." Cynthia ordered catching sight of Steven collapsed on his Metagross. Lance was on Gyrados was swimming over the area that Lugia had gone down and was organizing several water pokémon to help retrieve the injured legendary. 

She could just make out Pikachu fighting the Guardian deities of Alola and a duo along with their alolan meowth.

They were especially nimble as they ducked and dodged and weaved around one another.


	5. 'Cause Our Hearts Are Locked Forever And Our Love Will Never Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: Major Character Death. ******  
> Temporary though.  
>  Ash had plans fall through. Plan after plan failed. He'd gone through the whole alphabet twice.  
> He could have never accounted for this. He'd chosen, he'd chosen!!!! Why did the world have to punish him for choosing?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: take my hand - simple plan

Ash looked at the paradise.

He felt sick to his stomach.

It was completely restored. _As if nothing had ever happened here_. It was like how he had to pretend and move on, but underneath there were scars.

Deep. Long. Buried underneath countless memories of his pokémon because he could not deal with this _hurt_ alone.

~~_He could still see eyes empty of life staring skyward. Some frozen with expressions of utter horror or despair._ ~~

"Keiki?" Burnet crooned softly tilting his chin upwards with gentle movements. Ash rubbed his arms aware of the tiny warm spot on the back of his neck. He could feel warmth steadily spreading through his limbs. Could sense Mewtwo who gave him a subtle nudge as he and Mew hid in the trees. Could feel how cold his feet were as Darkrai rested inside his shadow. 

"Just leave them be." He fought the urge to flinch back. It had _ruined_ his plan the first time.

He allowed their tentacles to wrap around him. The cool jelly like feeling felt strange. But his hands rested against the areas their physical bodies resided in and it felt warm.

Soft even. 

He wanted so _badly_ to _give in_ and hug them back.

But Ash **_wouldn't_** falter. In this embrace their guard was completely down, the darkness below them having grown due to their shadows converging, they missed the emerging figure.

But Ash didn't. 

He was yanked out of the arms into the ground, where he squatted, hand braced against the ground as he looked up at their stunned expressions. He jumped, flying straight over them just as Mew shot out of the trees and shoved them into a bubble.

Mewtwo shot out of the tree and used psychic to hold all of the Nihilego that had rushed forward.

Darkrai used dark void sending both Burnet and Kukui to sleep knocking out their half of the control.

"Thanks Victini, i know that was pretty scary." Ash said gathering the frightened legendary into his arms as he watched the other Nihilego fall down. Then to his amazement most of the ultra rangers were regurgitated out. He glanced to Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase hopefully but both remained in shackled nightmares. 

"They are bonded more thoroughly thanthen the others. I believe it will take more to separate them." Mewtwo explained gently, eyes glowing as he peered at the sleeping professors. 

"I knew it wouldn't be that easy. It took a lot to free Lusamine the first tim- _**LUSAMINE!"**_ Ash shouted just as dark pulse was fired at them. Mew deflected the shadow ball with a psychic blast. Mewtwo did not take the assault lightly and instantly brought down the Pokemon with extreme prejudice. Then brought down Lusamine while Ash ran towards the Ultra rangers.

They were still. So very _still,_ just like _before._

He shakily checked their pulse.

Moved them into the rescue position like Brock had taught him tears ago. Shakily coached Victini into imparting them with some strength.

All with the hopes that it would help them recover. Guilt consumed him. All these people were going to suffer. They were going to be in so much pain.

If Ash had been faster, he could have prevented this. He should have made sure they were more prepared. They hadn't trained enough. He hadn't trained them as hard as he trained his pokemon.

Ash was afraid, he felt as if he could barely breathe.

Almost couldn't hold it together.

But he looked at Victini, saw the fear and worry and forced a smile. Forced back the panic and fear. Forced back the feeling of his lungs being squeezed tightly. Even if he couldn't stop his hands from shaking he could _smile_ and keep to his plans.

"Come on, we still have work to do." Ash said feeling naked without his hat or Pikachu to hide behind when the legendaries glanced his way with a worried expression.

"Ashkan! Hoopa found the humans and pokemon!" Hoopa exclaimed popping out of a ring with a wide grin. Ash returned the sentiment, only it seems it wasn't up to his usual standards as Hoopa left his ring and touched Ash's cheek.

"Hoopa can still grant Ashkan's wish." Ash kept his mouth shut. He wouldn't make a wish. He wouldn't ask this of Hoopa.

"It's okay Hoopa. I just want to get through today for right now." Hoopa nodded and created a new portal allowing Ash to poke his head through to see the pokémon and ultra rangers that had been left behind. The brown haired teen from before smiled at the sight of him and bodily lifted him out of the portal after sprinting forward. Ash patted the teen's back feeling his heart tear at the sobs all around. He could feel his nose prickle and his eyes warming.

"We need to get you out of here, I need you to trust me and step through this portal." Ash said gesturing towards the portal he'd been pulled out of.

"We trust you kid. If there's anyone in the entire mess we trust, its you." The teen said hastily wiping his face of tears.

Ash lead them all. All twenty three men and women along with all their Pokemon out of the portal and as soon as the last Pokemon had stepped into the Pokemon center Ash stepped back into the portal amidst the cries and had the portal shut. He clenched his hands tightly on his pants and forcefully took deep breaths. It took a few tries too calm the wheezing sound he heard but with effort he raised his head to meet Hoopa's gaze.

Hoopa gazed at him with concern plain across his usually mischievous face. His heart clenched, twisting despite his effort to force a smile.

Hands coming up to shakily clench the material of his shirt, just to have something to do.

"Okay Hoopa, sweep your portal over these people, gently. Their hurt. They need immediate attention from the hospital." Hoopa nodded and ringed his bottle into his hands before passing it to Ash. Ash fought against the cold sweat he broke out into when he accepted the bottle and removed the lid. Hoopa in his true form had all of his rings out and slowly began to send the unconscious staff and ultra rangers to a hospital. 

"There are still a dozen of those fusions outside with your Pikachu." Mewtwo informed him and Ash, tucked the bottle into the crook of his arms quickly wiped his sweaty palms on his shirt and tried to figure out his next course of action.

So many of his plans had fallen through. Even with nearly twenty minutes of planning he was barely scrapping by. Everything was crumbling. Shifting dangerously into territory he wanted to avoid.

Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase not being freed wasn't part of the plan.

He knew Pikachu could take legendaries. Had counted on that, and had thus given him multiple targets to slow him down. But Pikachu fused with the Nihilego was stronger that he'd anticipated. Which was why he'd sent Jessie and James. 

He could work with this though, the Professors were down for the count right now. They had time. The Guardian deities had healed who they could with the little time they had before they had to engage Pikachu. Tapu koko was resting so more but he should be ready to fightfoght now. He wasn't sure he could pull off a z move at the moment but if it was needed he was sure Victini could give him another boost.

"Hoopa sent them away. Softly. Hoopa made sure they were safe and with doctors." Hoopa towered above them, his heart pounded in his chest, bottle slipping from his limp fingers as his knees gave out. Stuttered gasps escaping him as he brought trembling hands to his chest. He forced himself to breathe, hands going to Hoopa's bottle and mechanically removing the lid before securing it shot as something struck hard at Hoopa.

He was swept up in a pink bubble and he turned around to see Burnet-hakase frozen with her arms outstretched.

She was **green,** her eyes, her outline, her tentacles. 

He looked back towards where Hoopa had been and saw Kukui-hakase a **midnight blue** , with dark ring like patterns dotted across his tentacles. 

**_Why were they awake?_ **

This wasn't part of any of his plans! Screw it! Improvisation was his only option now.

_He couldn't fail anymore._

* * *

Pikachu could not hit them. _Why. Were. They. Not. Sitting. Still!!_

"Ready for our z move?!" Jessie and James exclaimed in complete synch. There wasn't a second's hesitation in their movements, lights flaring. Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu went into their shields then the floor rumbled and cracked.

Splintering and Pikachu knew he was in trouble. Could sense Burnet and Kukui were down, could sense Lusamine fall while gold figures emerged from the ground like that cartoon about robots kukui tried to get Ash to watch. Once the bodies fully emerged the two Guardians floated to the top and became heads.

This was eerily like that cartoon. He hopes they don't merge next.

"Well?! Hurry up and get going!" Jessie shouted as the Champions had yet to leave.

"We're out for the count after this!" James complained to the elite four members that were trying to fight but were only getting in the way in their exhausted states.

Pikachu could see the strain of the z move weighing heavily on them and ordered his force to strike at the human bodies. Pikachu unleashed gigavolt havoc onto the two Guardians. The Guardians shrugged off the attack, swiping at his forces as if they were flies.

Oh sure, now they choose to be capable.

What about nearly a day ago when Ash and the other kids used the Guardian z moves and they were only able to fight for five minutes.

It was going on fifteen minutes now. Of dodging, and fighting. Striking his forces down until they dwindled to single digits, until he only had three.

Then he pointed a tentacle to the sky and used it as a lightning rod and attacked skyward. What came back was a strong bolt of lightning, he used that energy it gave him and forced it through to the ones who cared about Ash as much as he did and was rewarded with his own energy replenishing when they awoke in pure rage.

Their higher forms allowing them to recover and boost Pikachu's own depleting energy. 

"Now's the time to cut our losses." Jessie said panting heavily as she landed on her behind. James bodily hit the floor wheezing as he removed the z ring from his wrist. 

"We've done what we set out to, let's g-" the floor began rumbling. Crystal spires rose and warped themselves, further enveloping the the Aether foundation to Pikachu's ire as he realized he was left outside. Good thing he had a way to get in.

It better have been on accident.

* * *

Ash glanced nervously at Mewtwo but Mewtwo seemed fine, hardly even breaking a sweat as he held them back.

"What happened? How did they get out of Darkrai's sleep?" Ash asked clambering to his feet only to end up gently pushed back down by Mew. Mew waggled their tail in his face then pointed at Victini. Ash gathered the frightened legendary into his arms then turned back to Mewtwo who was facing north where Ash was sure Pikachu was.

"It seems their relationship is symbiotic. Pikachu was able to give them a power boost which awakened them and that in turn boosted them all, allowing the ones here to regenerate completely." Ash hugged Victini tight, glancing around for Hoopa.

"Hoopa! Get team rocket out of here now!" He cried out just as the floor began shaking, rocks rising above him were instantly shattered by both Mew and Darkrai as Hoopa vanished with a soft whirring sound.

"Tapu Koko!" Ash called put desperation in his voice as he rose to his feet holding Victini aware that the curves of this body were all wrong, but this was the only comfort he had, the only one he could comfort. 

The crystal spiral structure at the top shattered as the Guardian deity of Mele Mele shot down and floated before Ash ready to defend. Ash curled over Victini as the crystal showers them only to glance upward when it stopped. Mew was shielding them.

"They are back with their bear friend Ashkan. And Hoopa took all the humans to that doctor too! Did Hoopa surprise you?" Ash nodded then glanced around and realized that with the legendaries he had on hand, and Pikachu, he might be able to free them all.

He just had to get Pikachu here along with anyone else still able to fight.

This enclosed area was the Nihilego base of operation but if Ash was here they couldn't fight to their full capacity. He noticed they were defending him.

_Him._ As if he _needed_ defending. It made his heart hurt. All this pain and suffering, to protect someone who could not afford it.

~~Not when their role in the vast world was to die for its sins.~~

"Hoopa, being everyone that can still fight. Human and legendary. Once they are all here i want you to bring Pikachu." Ash whispered, catching Mewtwo's eyes. Mewtwo tilted his head in acknowledgement as he kept hold of the possessed Professors.

* * *

Lance elevated his leg and pressed an ice pack to his ribs, the other hand pressed on to his face. Cynthia was pretty much untouched aside from having some bruises or scorch marks. Pikachu had elected to not fight her and sent a squadron after her and Giratina.

"So we have how many able to fight?" Cynthia asked peering at them all. Lance glanced at Lorelei who he had left in charge of Kanto and knew that Pikachu had bad blood with her but he didn't and was technically still capable of fighting.

He sighed, the decision to leave behind one member of their elite four while smart, had hurt them as their team work had been affected. Only Agatha had really been able to work near effortlessly with her other counterparts.

"I can still fight. Gyarados, who I can mega evolve and two of my Dragonite can still fight." Lance tossed out. Looking at Steven Stone, daring him to say he could still fight. Arceus knows the man was only awake now through sheer force of will.

Lance looked to Flint who was rolling a pokéball in his hand and then towards Lucian who had his head cradled in his hands with his shoulders shaking every now and then.

"We could have your frontier brains step up Steven. I know you brought Noland because of his Articuno but doesn't Brandon also have a Regi pokémon?" Steven nodded then winced, hand coming up to cup his forehead.

"Very... well... though... only Brandon, and maybe Anabel may be available." Steven breathed and Lance did not the slight hissing noise he heard, neither did Agatha as she moved towards him. 

"Of the elite sixteen that we brought, Bruno, Glacia, Lucian, Sydney, Caitlin, Malva, Siebold and Grimsley are down. Flint might as well be counted out as well, you only have Infernape correct?" Cynthia stated getting the facts straight. Diantha looked at her Elite three and bit her lip.

Alder and his entire elite four had been taken down with extreme prejudice. 

"Drake and Bertha are as well." Lance stated looking to the empty chairs surrounding then. They had started with five champions and sixteen and now they were down to three champions, one frontier brain and four elite four from various regions.

"Of the Legendaries we have available, that would be... Entei, Raikou, Reshiram, Palkia is slightly recovered, Giratina, Articuno is still available to fight. We'll have the Regis when Brandon arrive, Latias was unable to battle her friends and that mythical Hoopa has informed us we could ask Heatran for help but there was no guarantee he would help. The same with Zygarde and Volcanion. The mythicals have all chosen not to help unless Ash specifically requested them which he did not." Diantha spoke to the room at large, catching sight of the grim expressions all around.

"Hi! Did Hoopa surprise you?" The trickster legendary grinned as he popped into the room.

"Ashkan has a plan. He said to get everyone who can still fight and bring them to him. Hoopa will do that." Lance brought his foot down, set his ice pack down and opted to leave his cape behind as he limped towards the mythical.

Cynthia stalked forward, hands curled into fists.

Diantha stepped forward, Agatha patted Steven on the head with a scary smile and made her way towards them. 

"Hoopa, I need you to pick up two others." Hoopa glanced away from the people gathering near him, specifically Wikstrom then brought a hand to its chin.

"Ashkan doesn't have much time left. If Hoopa can find them then Hoopa will bring them. Say their names into Hoopa's ring." Lance still found it amazing how versatile these rings were. 

"Pyramid king Brandon. Salon Maiden Anabel." There was a second before Brandon appeared throwing a pokeball out. Registeel appearing.

Anabel did not appear but a shadow ball flew into the room and was quickly ringed elsewhere. 

"Brandon, I need you to assist in my place. Your Regi pokémon are needed for a battle in the Alola region." Steven gasped, Lance was not going to have the man pass outpass the out from lack of air. He gave him a quick summary of the situation and watches as Brandon shakes his head.

"Of course that fool that was possessed ends up with his family and pokemon possessed too." He shrugged and recalled his pokémon. 

"Very well." He stated with a nod.

Lance glanced at the ring that had not brought Anabel and saw Hoopa frowning.

"Hoopa can't bring someone who doesn't want to go through. Hoopa could not surprise her." It pouted before shutting the portal and opening a new one.

"We go to Ashkan now." Hoopa paused before the portal not letting them step through as it stared at them with an uncharacteristic serious look.

"Ashkan won't be able to keep going like other times, don't get in the way." Hoopa floated up and gestured them forward with those ominous words.

* * *

Ash looked at his shaking hands as he tried to slip the z crystal Tapu Koko had given him onto his z ring. His fingers slipped, tiny paws caught the crystal and gently slotted it into place before holding his hand.

"Tini!" Victini shut their eyes and flooded Ash with warmth, Ash shut his eyes, feeling the shaking ease. This was a temporary fix.

It was going to get so much worse, like the adrenaline crashes.

"We can do this. We just have to get it right, they won't let us get a second chance." Mewtwo looked him over and put his paw on Ash's shoulder.

"We will get this right, and if we don't we will make that second chance for you." He promised.

Ash nods, relaxing his posture as he sat on the floor below Burnet-hakase and Kukui-hakase. Mew was idly prodding them with a fascinated look, it caused him to smile involuntarily. Mew the legendary Pokemon that many thought was extinct was in the face of two Pokémon Professors. Literally within touching distance. 

"Ashkan! Hoopa brought them!" Ash leaned back against his arms and tilted his head back to meet Hoopa's grinning face. He tilted his head slightly and saw nine people. And ten legendaries not including the five and half legendaries he had plus the three others outside with Pikachu. 

"Hoopa, you know what to do." Ash said climbing to his feet and tucking Victini against his neck as he spread his feet and nodded to Mewtwo. Mewtwo nods and brings the two Professors together with a single space between them for Pikachu. 

"We don't even know the plan?" Ash heard from behind him, he flicked a hand.

"Stall." He said simply as a ring formed, sparks wildly shooting out. 

"How do you expect us to sta-" there was a choking noise.

"Just follow orders!" Cynthia barked and Ash tucked and rolled as Hoopa was thrown through his portal with a sharp cry. Pikachu was wrestled in by the other Tapus who now were down for the count. Slammed into craters smoking and unmoving. Ash was back up on his feet moving hands and feet into movements that he'd only learned yesterday.

The day before?

The time had blurred in his mind.

Exhaustion weighed his limbs down but energy kept him moving. Tiny claws clutched tightly onto his ear and neck with frightened squeaks.

One arm raised over the other, one leg in the air, he synchronized with Tapu Koko as Registeel, Regiice, Regirock and Regigigas all fired their strongest attacks at Pikachu when Mewtwo was blown away causing him to release Burnet-hakase and Kukui-hakase.

Ash, with his heart in his throat twisted and axe kicked, Pikachu slamming into the ground in an explosion of lightning.

Raikou and Entei didn't hesitate and fired fire and lightning striking at the Professors who blocked the attacks with protect and stone edge.

Ash whirled around, dizzy and nauseous, moving into a kantonese guard to take the combined hyperbeam. Spots danced across his vision and the floor trembled beneath him.

Ash, in his effort to protect Tapu Koko had left himself open. Stone edge rising in a circle around him, he didn't think and lashed out with a spinning kick breaking stone and sending the Professors, and Palkia flying. His leg throbbed but he pushed it out of mind and threw himself out of the center. Tapu tucking and rolling along side, sprung to his feet and was blindsided by Pikachu's gigavolt havoc. 

**"Reshiram, Articuno, Palkia, Regigigas, now!"** Someone cried and Ash could only watch, vision blurred, as Pikachu was struck from all sides. 

**_"PIKACHU!!!!!"_** he cried out rushing forward despite the battle raging all around him. All that mattered was his _partner._

His _best friend_.

His _brother._

The Nihilego had regurgitated him, shriveling up and reaching out to grab Pikachu still.

Ash slapped the hand away.

Falling to his knees as he choked back a sob.

With burning eyes and trembling hands he reached forward and lifted the limp mouse into his arms. All sound fell away.

 _"Pikachu?"_ Ash whispers, tears startled out of him when Pikachu remained limp in his hold. Still.

So very _still._

He couldn't **_feel_** Pikachu's spark.

Something came up behind him reaching for Pikachu and Ash snapped.

"STAY AWAY! YOU'VE DONE _ENOUGH_! **_JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!_** " He shouted angrily curling over Pikachu as everything he'd been holding in spilled out.

"Pikachu!" He wailed brokenly, his partner unmoving and likely gone from this world.

Gone someplace that Ash could not follow.

"Tini!" Victini sobbed tiny paws pressing into Pikachu's cheeks willing energy into him but nothing flowed, no life and it tore his heart.

It destroyed him.

He _couldn't_ accept it.

He _wouldn't_ accept it!!

He reached deep into himself. The way a lucario had once shown him.

The way he'd witnessed an aura guardian and pulled the energy forth even as it struggled against him.

Even as it _splintered_ in some places, until it _burned_ him, until it felt **numb.**

He pushed the feeling forward and formed it into a sphere.

Forced his _life_ into it.

Then, through his sobs, breathed life **back** into his partner. 

_The world already fading, and twisting became muted shades_. Victini's voice faded as his vision tunneled down to pikachu in his arms.

Warmth on his cold cheek caught his attention, a steady chant of strength in his heart urged him forward. 

Something lightly pressed to his chest. Eyes, familiar, yet not, and kind met his and smiled tiredly.

He licked his lips and smiled.

" _Hey... buddy_..." Ash laughed softly before the world faded and then he fell into swirling oblivion.


	6. I Know That People Say We're Never Going To Make It But I Know We're Going To Get Through This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: Major Character Death ******  
> it's temporary though.
> 
> What had they done. Every single one of them.  
> They were all responsible for this.  
> For taking away the one thing. The one thing this innocent had protected with his life time and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: take my hand- simple plan

Kukui focused on fortifying their nest from the outside to keep the intruders locked in, and Ash so they wouldn't be able to escape with him.

He mentally apologized to Pikachu for shutting them out but kept at it with Burnet's help. Even as a Mew, a freaking _**Mew!!!!** Which kept poking at them_.

They glanced at Ash when that strange djinn like Legendary appeared with several Champions and a few elite four of various regions.

Ash rose to his feet, nonononono, and said something as he moved closer to the then.

Good, come closer to safety.

"We don't even know the plan?" Some questioned, the man looked like an archaeologist. His voice had Ash's shoulder tensing, it had Kukui's hackles rising at the threat. But Ash flicked a hand and shrugged off the tension.

"Stall." _Stall?_ Kukui missed what was said next but caught sight of the Sinnoh Champion asserting her dominance as the man released several Regi legendary pokemon. A portal opened between them and they became aware of Pikachu's anger and frustration. It filled them.

Strengthening them.

Ash tucked and rolled as the djinn type legendary went sailing over him. Pikachu had arrived and had subdued three of the Guardian deities.

Pikachu caught their wavelengths and increased his voltage, striking out wildly at several opponents. Kukui and Burnet were suddenly free.

Kukui turned to face Ash and saw in a pose he'd only seen in legends.

Had only witnessed once before yesterday?

The day before yesterday?

Tapu Koko rose above them all, Kukui and Burnet were back to back behind protect and stone edge as fire and lightning tore a straight line through the battle directly towards them.

Pikachu went down, hard, Burnet and Kukui didn't hesitate and fired pure energy at the legendary. Kukui saw his moment and seized it calling forth a stone edge to surround and protect Ash.

But Ash had other plans and actually broke the stone with a kick, that doubled as a kick from the legendary that took both him, Burnet and Palkia down.

Kukui would have been so proud of his form, if it wasn't for the fact that he was now in full view of the legendaries and Champions trying to take him away! Away from Kukui and Burnet.

There was a disorienting moment as Kukui and Burnet caught sight of each other and pressed their hands against the membrane they were trapped in.

But the moment faded with Ash's agonized cry.

 ** _"PIKACHU!!!!!"_** His cry practically silencing the battle field as all sides looked over towards the Kantonese trainer and his starter.

Ash was on his knees, half curled over his starter, looking lost and alone even as another pokémon shimmered into view.

Kukui and Burnet rocketed forward, wanting to comfort their keiki.

Several others had launched forward regardless of their side but they had been stopped by the djinn legendary. 

" _STAY AWAY_!" Ash screamed curling further over Pikachu. "YOU'VE DONE _ENOUGH!_ **JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!** " He raged angrily despite the sobs racking his frame.

It tore at Kukui's heart to see what they had done.

To see that in their effort to create a world that Ash would feel safe in they had taken away the one being in the whole world that he had _chosen._

That had _chosen_ him in turn.

 _"Pikachu!"_ His wails were agonizing to listen to. Worse to see him completely fall apart as he cradled his partner ever so gently in his arms and jostled him with the greatest care.

As if he could rouse him.

His **denial** at the _truth_ staring them all in the face.

Even more heartbreaking was the small legendary crying hysterically as it tried to do something to Pikachu but nothing happened. The legendary shaking Ash's shoulder as if trying to get him to wake Pikachu.

Kukui looked down at his hands.

What had he _become?_

When had his urge to _protect_ become so **twisted?**

"How can we ever make up for this?" Burnet wept, hand pressed into her mouth. He could see tears, all around except on one face. The man with the Registeel, Regirock, Regiice, and Regigigas.

He was eyeing them as if they were the scum of the earth.

"Regigigas hyper beam." Burnet didn't even see the attack coming but Kukui did.

His vision turned blue as he hastily erected a stone edge to shield them while throwing himself over Burnet. He lashed out and struck, moving throughthrugh his own z move continental crush and smashing it into Regigigas with all the burning anger he felt.

"Kukui!" Burnet cried out and he turned to face her, heart in his throat as he saw a blue fire emanating from Ash. It looked like Aura.

What his Lucario used.

He flicked a hand and sent a hyper beam at the Registeel moving his way. Burnet flicking up a protect around them as they watched Aura seep into Pikachu's body.

Watched the small legendary on Ash's shoulder press impossibly small paws to Ash's cheek and chant its name as if willing Ash strength.

Then.

To their amazement. 

Pikachu moved.

Smiling up at Ash.

Then the light seemed to go out of Ash and he fell still with his eyes open.

* * *

Burnet could see him breathing but he didn't seem conscious of the world anymore.

Pikachu let out a concerned 'Pikapi?'

And reached forward to nudge Ash's chin.

No response.

He licked Ash's cheek and suddenly Ash moved, body seeming to give up as he collapsed on his side. Burnet shot forward, arm, tentacle shooting forward to catch her keiki. He landed in her arms, eyes half closed and completely unresponsive. Pikachu moaned and seemed to lose consciousness while the small legendary had its paws to its mouth with a horrified look on its face.

It burst into hysterical tears and flew to the djinn type legendary who was watching them with a solemn look on its normally grinning face.

"Hoopa _warned_ you. Hoopa warned you not to get in the way! That Ashkan won't be able to keep going!" The djinn was petting the smaller legendary with a fearsome scowl. 

" _ **This ends now**_!" A deep voice spoke directly into their minds forcibly slamming Burnet into the ground even as Ash was gently picked up.

There was screaming.

There was pain.

 _So much pain_.

And then there was **Ash.**

_Laughing. Smiling. Playing, sleeping, studying, eating, swimming. Ash happy and enjoying every minute of everyday even when he had his downs._

Then there was a lingering soreness. A weakness of the body and soul. A soft and impossibly small paw touched her forehead bringing her the slightest warmth.

"Asssssh..." she muttered through an uncooperative mouth that slurred her s'. Someone patted her hand and told her not to worry but she could still remember the agonizing wails Ash had let out. Could still see his eyes blank and unaware staring through her as he breathed.

What if he'd harmed himself?

She had... to... 

...know...

...her...

_...keiki..._

....

* * *

  
  


Lance could feel each sob as if someone had struck him.

They _miscalculated._

_Badly._

And now Ash was bearing the brunt of their mistakes.

 _Pikachu had paid the ultimate price_.

Even now he could see the denial as Ash jostled his starter, searching for signs of life.

The unovan legendary equally in denial tried to do something, light flowing from its paws but the light did not move.

Lance had to look away.

He had watched Ash grow from an arrogant rookie to a strong a capable trainer with a calm mind and heart so big it seemed as if it would only slow him down.

But Ash had proven many wrong.

Had taken the Kanto way of life and decided it wasn't his way. Had taught so many people to open their hearts and minds.

Had shown Lance that he should not close his heart to the world and take the pain it offered and return it with kindness instead of more cold cruelty.

"Do not look away!" Cynthia hissed, tears in her eyes, hands clenched tight enough to draw blood as she stared at Ash.

Lance nodded.

She was right.

It would do them both a great dishonor to glance away and pretend.

He was taken aback when a blue fire sparked to life, growing wildly. Rapidly engulfing Ash and Pikachu before shrinking. Forming a near perfect sphere if it wasn't for the random spikes that seemed to grow.

The unovan legendary chanting its name seemed to be highly aware of what Ash was doing as it did something, gold light mixing with the blue.

Of aura?

"That's Aura." Cynthia whispered, Lance glanced around at the remainder of their group, just Diantha, Agatha and Brandon remained. Brandon keeping his eyes on the possessed Professors with a glare.

Lance felt a sharp jolt of pain as he tried to peer around Ash. He wrapped an arm around his ribs with a wince then turned to Diantha who was closer. 

Behind him he heard Brandon order his pokémon to attack. He spared a glance at the Professors but couldn't bring himself to feel anything but pity for them. Ash had told them that the only way to free those possessed was to knock the Nihilego out with a strong attack.

Their pain would be over soon, and recovery would be a long road for them all.

He looked back at Diantha to see that she had tears in her eyes as a hand moved to cover her mouth.

"Pikachu moved." She whispered hoarsely, tears clinging to her lashes. 

_"Hey... buddy..."_ Ash's voice was weak, fading out near the end. He exhaled softly shoulders slumping, Diantha shot them a horrified look.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu's voice cracked hoarsely, it raised itself and licked Ash's cheek. Lance glanced over at Cynthia when she wrapped his arm over his shoulder and helped him limp over. He caught sight of Ash's vacant stare before his body fell limp, like a puppet cut from its strings.

With a shout he and Cynthia reached forward only to be beaten by a tentacle. Ash remained unaware, completely unconscious with his eyes open.

Pikachu moaned, fainting into his partner, but what really caught Lance's attention was the tiny legendary from unova. 

It had its paws pressed to its mouth with a horrified look. It promptly burst into hysterical tears and flew to the kalos legendary who cradled the smaller legendary with a frightening glare on its face.

"Hoopa _warned_ you." Its voice trembled with rage. "Hoopa warned youuou not to get in the way! That Ashkan won't be able to keep going!" He seethed, the created legendary Mewtwo put its paw on the trickster's back.

" _ **This ends now!**_ " He spoke to them all, voice quiet but filled with rage.

There was a moment of utter stillness before psychic energy was unleashed. The Professors were violently embedded into the ground, Ash safely ensconced in a pink bubble with Mew above him and Darkrai poking up menacingly from the shadows below.

Kukui and Burnet were writhing. 

Screaming in agony.

Wails of pain the likes of which he had never heard before pierced his ears. And he _knew_ this day would haunt him for the rest of his life.

" _ **Accept your defeat, these humans have someone they care for greatly. You've harmed my friend for the last time.**_ " Mewtwo spoke as he forcefully separated the beasts from human. 

Diantha quickly stepped forward towards Burnet reaching down to check her pulse. The unovan Professor reached out with a shaking hand and with tears in her eyes called out weakly. Voice slurring, Diantha shushed her and the woman passed out.

Agatha was reassuring Kukui but the stubborn man would not rest until he saw his wife and Ash. Brandon stepped forward, scowling and threw the weak man over his shoulder.

"Do us all a favor and pass out already." He stated bluntly as he moved so Kukui could see Burnet and Ash with Pikachu. Kukui passed out, tears of relief leaking down his cheeks.

* * *

"Hoopa, if you could take us to a hospital. And return the Legendary Pokemon to their homes, we would greatly appreciate it." Cynthia helped Lance bow, and bowed as well.

It would not do to offend the already angry legendary.

Hoopa scowled at them, freeing a hand from the Unova legendary's back and sent a ring to theto the the Legendary Pokemonpokemon one at a time. Giratina merely rumbled in displeasure and huffed near Satoshi then nodded to Mewtwo before roaring and heading for the lake.

It dove in and was gone from view. 

"Tini." The unovan legendary warbled pressing small paws, that trembled, to Burnet and Kukui's bodies before disappearing. Hoopa had its arm open still, ring floating above them.

"Hoopa will take the humans and Ashkan to hospital." Ash was lowered to the ground and the remaining legendaries crowded around him. They said nothing, simply watched him before stepping back allowing Hoopa to bring their ring down upon them all. 

" _ **Heed our warning humans, should Ash come to any more harm, you will face our collective wrath**_." Mewtwo warned just as the portal closed over their heads. Hospital staff surprised but already scrambling to prepare for their arrival as if they had seen this before.

Cynthia realized that they had. Ash wouldn't have allowed anyone injured to remain in the battle field. He had Hoopa transport them to a hospital.

"Hoopa brought more humans and pokemon." Hoopa stated floating to a man in a white lab coat. The man nodded already scribbling away at his clipboard. "Hoopa brought Ashkan and Pikan too. _You promised_ Hoopa to see them first." Hoopa growled just as the ring touched the ground and Ash and Pikachu arrived.

"I did. I am a man of my word. Nurses!" Two men rushed forward with a stretcher and quickly looked Ash over, securing his neck in a collar, gathering Pikachu onto a separate but smaller stretcher to be sent to the pokémon center. They braced Ash's hips then lifted him onto the stretcher but he remained completely unresponsive. 

"You can't separate them. Bring Pikan back to Ashkan, _you promised!_ Okay? That's why Hoopa chose this human's place." Hoopa near tears, pleaded with the doctor.

The doctor raised his hands.

"I did. And we will. But the pokémon center is on the ground floor. We already spoke to the nurse Joy on staff, Pikachu will be returned to Mr. Ketchum." The doctor placated and Hoopa nodded. Looking reluctant to go but when Ash passed through a set of doors their shoulders slumped.

"Hoopa and Hoopa's friend will go now. Hoopa can not stay anymore." Hoopa vanished into their ring and then they were swarmed by doctor and nurses alike.

Their Pokemon were confiscated and sent to the pokémon center. And their trainer IDs were taken before they were sent to separate rooms. Cynthia reluctantly releasing Lance into more capable hands allowed herself to be escorted to a room.

Along the way she could see several rooms filled, several makeshift rooms created. 

"How many people were brought over by Hoopa?" Cynthia asked as she arrived into a curtained makeshiftmake shift room. She was given a hospital robe by the nurse who stepped out of the room and shut the curtain for privacy. 

"The first time nearly forty people. We filled to capacity but the Mythical Hoopa was adamant we keep everyone together so we scrambled to prepare ways to send patients out. That problem was solved easily. All patients here are from Aether." Cynthia opened the curtain and looked upwards at the nurse who looked frightened. 

"You said _first_ time." The nurse nodded, hands nervously wringing together. 

"About twenty five more were brought over within a few hours. All within minutes of each other. The last three arrive with you makes it about sixty eight total. Of the ones unconscious." Cynthia's heart leapt into her throat, she swallowed tightly. 

"How many conscious?" The nurse nervously licked his lips.

"Thirty three, not including pokemon which had numbered into the hundreds." Cynthia had to sit down.

Ash had underexaggerated.

When he had explained how many people they thought it would have-

"What about the dead?" She asked pale, the nurse turned a sickly shade of white.

"The Mythical Hoopa refused to bring them. Said it was not possible if there was no consent to give but had informed us of the room in Aether filled. We don't know." The nurse whispers in a horrified tone. 

Cynthia remained silent. Answering when questions were asked. Stripping when asked. Holding still for the doctors and nurses to poke and prod her injuries before bandaging them. Once she had received stitches for a cut on the back of her hip, she had been given instructions to care for her wounds she was released.

Not to leave, she still had to finish a round of antibiotics and a saline through an intravenous feed.

She was led to the waiting room where Lance, head tilted back with an ice pack over his head, was waiting in a wheelchair with an IV bag attached to him. He lifted the pack off and glanced at her before resuming his original position. 

"You asked them too huh?" He chuckled weakly, wincing as a hand came to rest along his bandaged ribs.

"Any news?" He responded with a hum, she sat down on a plastic chair crossing her legs.

"You're aware that we will have to answer for this now that they have all our trainer IDs in one hospital." Lance groaned, removing the pack.

"I am. The others will already be facing questioning for showing up in a hospital injured along with their pokemon."

Cynthia nodded, the member they had each left behind would alreadyalredy be fielding calls.

Someone would be sent down to Alola soon.

Hopefully not until they had all been treated and heard news on Satoshi and all the other people who had been possessed. 

If not, she would settle for their own being cleared.

An inquisition like this was going to be a hundreds times harder than what Steven and Diantha faced in Kalos.

She was glad Ash kept silent about her being in Unova. Had urged others to keep silent and then completely lead them through the ringer for answers on why until they simply gave up and kept silent.

"Do you think Aether will face any repercussions?" Cynthia frowned, then shrugged lightly.

"Who knows, they did prevent the first invasion of their entire region even if they fell at their own base at the end." She doesn't regret answering Satoshi's plea for help.

_Not when he looked so lost and alone with no one to turn to._

She could see that the other Champions had felt the same when she had reached out to them.

To their elite four.

_Satoshi was truly special to touch so many people's hearts and have them respond to his plea for help._

"Cynthia, Lance." Both Champions looked down from the ceiling to see Agatha staring at them.

"Good. You are aware. Prepare yourselves, the sharpedo have arrived."


	7. Secret Hidden Underneath It Trying Hard To Keep It Safely Out Of Reach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Champions and Elite Four along with two Frontier Brains stand before the council made up of Galarians, a neutral party. They must present their case for the full invasion of several united forces on an Alolan property.  
> They tell the truth and withhold just as much as they tell. All for the sake of an individual who shall remain nameless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: digital dagger - i surrender

Cynthia shut her eyes wishing that they had more time. They hadn't even recovered their teams yet for Giratina's sake!

"Per regional laws we will stand before the regional council with Galar as the neutral party. We will be facing an inquisition, our current states matter very little in the grand scheme of things." Agatha continues as she sits down opposite of Cynthia and beside Lance. Weathered hands clenched tightly above her staff as she gazed ahead.

"We all face the equal reality of having our titles, IDs, and pokemon stripped from us as well as the black mark of war criminals stamped across our records."

They could only sit here in silence.

Waiting for judgement to fall on their heads.

* * *

Diantha stated having stepped into the as Agatha had recites the laws. She had her right leg in a boot and left arm in a sling, she limped forward with an IV stand and sat beside Cynthia.

Brandon walking in not even a few seconds later looking none the worse for wear but also with an IV stand. He said nothing, choosing instead to cross his arms over his chest and glare at the floor.

Wikstrom, Noland joined them and she realized with a heavy heart that it was just seven of them now.

They had started out with five champions and sixteen elite and were now down to three champions, two frontier brains, and two elites.

As if this wasn't bad enough the doors opened to reveal a squadron of Psychic type, and men in black suits.

"Champions Diantha, Cynthia, Lance. Frontier Brains Noland and Brandon. Elite four Wikstrom and Agatha. You are hereby ordered to stand before the regional counci-" a doctor, the one Hoopa had spoken to marched forward and shoved a box into the hands of the man speaking. More boxes were shoved at the other fifteen men by nurses and security guards.

"Once the IV bags are drained you can take them, but let it stand that _in my hospital_ these people are heroes." The doctor gave them a nod and left, ordering his nurses to standby for the removal of their IVs. The man that had been speaking clearly lost his wind, stared in bewilderment at the box then shared looks with the other men.

There was an awkward silence for the next ten minutes.

* * *

Cynthia was aware that the bright lights in her face shadowing the council was an intimidation tactic. Steven and Diantha had prepared them all before Cynthia had gone to fetch Ash.

They had all agreed that they would continue on regardless.

And to keep Ash in the dark, him being unaware of the true implications of a Champion of another region participating unsanctioned battles. 

"Champion Cynthia, we have reviewed the footage but we have become aware of instances where you purposely shut off your camera or deliberately turned away from something. What do you have to say for yourself?" Cynthia crossed her legs at the knee, and folded her hands across her lap.

"I am aware of what I did. What I did was to protect an individual, this individual is capable of communicating with and commanding legendaries." There were whispers she held up her hand, silence filled the room at the audacity of her actions.

"This individual has been targeted before for this ability and the other Champions and I had come to an agreement to seal all knowledge of the individual in question."

Cynthia remembers Professor Oak telling her about Doctor Young and his Mirage system. The _torture_ Pikachu had gone through.

The _pain_ Satoshi had suffered at the hands of Lysander who tried to exploit him.

The danger they would all be in if the world was to become aware of the _Chosen One,_ a ten year old with a Pikachu.

That ten year old was now fifteen and had suffered so much in just five short years.

"You would forgive me for placing anonymity on the individual with the power to destroy the world should the wrong ears here about them. We wouldn't want another Kalos crisis would we?" There were whispers amongst the council as they remembered the legendary Zygarde raining forced judgment, under the control of a human.

Until they were freed and unleashed their own judgement.

Of the danger a handful of trainers, gym leaders and two champions had put themselves into to protect Kalos. Of the individual with a sealed record that had been tortured by Lysander.

"Very well. Continue to plead your case." Cynthia very carefully did not wrinkle her nose at the impetuous tone the lead councilman used.

"We were made aware of this invasion due to the actions of the individual in question. They had given the legendary Giratina orders to gather as many allies as I could." She was cut off by a young male voice to her left.

"Why you specifically?" Cynthia was stumped.

"I don't know. This individual simply showed up at my home." She wonders if it was because Giratina technically resided in Sinnoh that Satoshi had chosen her as opposed to Lance his region's champion.

"The individual told me of the invasion of Alola. Of the second invasion of Aether. And the subsequent fall of Aether."

* * *

"Then the individual informed us about the invasive species called ultra beasts that had been studied by the Aether foundation. How a group of tentacruel like beings were capable of possessing human beings." Lance paused to catch his breath, then raised an arm to show the band encircling his wrist up to his elbow.

"These ultra beasts are like no pokémon we've ever seen. They shrugged off attacks as if it were mere water, and were capable of physical attacks such as hyperbeam, stone edge, metal claw, tackle, dragon rage, rock throw, ice punch, thunder punch, protect and some were even capable of using the z moves of the Alola region." Lance lowered his arm and glanced to the far right at the person clearing their throat.

"What steps did you take to ensure that Alola would not see this as an invasion?"

* * *

"The individual in question used the Ultra Guardians, created by the Aether foundation to find, subdue and capture ultra beasts; to spread the word spread of our arrival to the four islands." Steven wheezed, nausea building as the light did nothing for the headache induced concussion. He wished he wasn't back in this position, let alone like this. At this rate he'd be stripped of his title before he could face Wallace.

He _couldn't_ let that happen.

"We prepared according, leaving a capable member of each of our elite four to safeguard the regions and prepared for battle. As you can see of the five champions and sixteen elite all that remained were three champions, two elite and two frontier brains."

_Oh._

That was **bad.**

Steven thought as the world faded.

* * *

Agatha watched as an alakazam floated Champion Steven out of the chamber and gripped her staff tightly. _How cruel_.

Forcing those who were in barely any state of awareness to present themselves. At the very least they should be seen first with a doctor on staff not on the grounds outside.

"Elite Agatha." Agatha swatted the young man attempting to help her stand.

"I'm _old_ not _fragile."_ She marched forward aware of the heat staining the young man's cheeks.

Good.

"Elite Agatha, present yourself before the council." Agatha nearly rolled her eyes at the upstart ordering her around but stood before the council refusing to bow.

"Elite four member of Kanto/Johto under Champion Lance. Ghost type specialist." She sat down on the stool provided and waited. 

"We have reviewed the footage but have become aware of instances where you shut off your camera or deliberately turned away from something, what do you have to say for yourself?"

* * *

"I am aware of what I did. What I did was to protect an individual, this individual is capable of communicating with and commanding legendaries." Noland stated strongly. 

For Ash he would do this. He doesn't know of any way to make up for the mess he caused. Prayed to Ho-oh that the young teen would be okay. That he hadn't permanently injured himself doing the impossible. 

Maybe when Ash and Pikachu had recovered they would allow he and Articuno to apologize. 

* * *

"You would forgive me for placing anonymity of the individual with such power, power capable of destroying us should it fall into the likes of an organization such as team Flare." Diantha continued strongly, cool gaze piercing through the haze of light at the shadowed silhouettes above her.

She would not be cowed by these imperious men and women. She had not before and she would not now. For Satoshi she had faced worse than this. Consequences be damned!

She would protect the boy who _loved_ the world so _fiercely_ that he shattered a machine meant to control the mind through sheer force of will.

 _Especially_ when the legendary Zygarde had been unable to break control on itself.

* * *

"Very well, plead your case." Brandon cleared his throat.

"I was made aware of the situation when I was abducted by the legendary known of Hoopa. Champion Steven had called upon me to stand in his place with my pokemon." Brandon stated clearly, remembering the quick explanation. The even quicker vow of silence he was made to take to protect both Ash's identity and keep him from the truth of his actions in calling upon them.

The boy was a fool.

But he did have his heart in the right place. No child should suffer the way he had.

Those beasts had truly made an error by latching onto the people he most cared about. 

* * *

Bruno was heaving, trembling as sweat poured down his face. The urge passed and he glared at the council.

"We were made aware of the invasion by the individual... in question..." he panted, arm coming to curl around his ribs. "This individual had called upon Giratina... to meet... Champion Cynthia who... was told..." Bruno could barely gather breath to speak, he should not be this winded speaking. "To gather as many allies..."

* * *

"We were informed of the invasive species categorized as ultra beasts by the aether foundation. These ultra beasts had one amongst them capable of possessing human beings." Wikstrom stated, eyeing the council with carefully hidden distaste distaste. It wouldn't do to offend anyone.

He'd be found in contempt.

No. He would submit, but he would not _Submit_ to the council. They rode their high horse but he knows once the young trainer had his license suspension removed and once more chose to travel. It would be to Galar next. Not the other regions, but straight to Galar. They had invited trouble to their door once after.

They will court disaster and be none the wiser. Then they will see.

They will see how precious little they acutally knew.

Until the next council meeting.

* * *

Over and over again, the Champions, elite and two frontier brains were questioned. Until a petition was brought forth.

Signed by each individual in Alola.

Human and pokemon.

Stating their steadfast belief in the sound judgement of their ultra Guardians, and the champions, elite and frontier brains they had put their trust in.

The Kahunas of all four islands stood before them dressed in vibrant, yet elegant formal wear.

Behind them were their battered Guardian Deities.

Cynthia watched as their teams were returned to hospitals. Their Pokemonpokemon sent for treatment. And the boxes of hand copied information was sent back to Alola with the four Kahuna's who had thanked them.

Each holding out their right hand with thumb and pinkies extended while their middle, index and pointer fingers were folded.

Cynthia relaxed, she remembers this symbol.

 _Thank you_.

"No problem." She replied watching the four board a boat.

"Back to Alola?" She asked eyeing Lance, Diantha, Noland, Agatha and Brandon.

"I've done my duty. That kid is strong enough to survive possession from an ancient pokelantian king, he can beat this too." Brandon stated hands in his pocket as he turned at left. Noland rubbed the back of his neck.

"Let me know how he's doing 'kay? Brandon wait up!" He shouted running after the stoic man.

"These old bones need a rest. I'm too old for this!" She exclaimed slamming her staff into the ground as she walked off. "Keep me updated!" She said with a backhanded wave.

She eyed Lance who honestly looked ready to keel over.

"Let me be the hospital's problem, I need a vacation. I'll get it if i drop dead over there." Cynthia shrugged and Diantha nodded calling out her Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir tele-" they were in the hospital. A clipboard dropped to the ground. 

"For the love of Koko! **Hoopa!"**

"Did Hoopa surprise you?" Giggled the trickster before they vanished.

* * *

Lance looked over his charge, given that his mother was not in Alola and his current caretakers were unresponsive. It fell to him, as Champion of Kanto to fill in a Guardian for the unconscious trainer.

He was apparently a medical mystery.

He was in a coma, and the doctors were confused as to how he ended up in that state if he was mostly suffering from sleep deprivation, dehydration and exhaustion. If anything he should be under a light coma.

Lance wasn't sure how exactly to bring up aura and a deceased, returned to life Pikachu but he believed that to be the reason.

"You and are going to have a long talk about this new thing you can do." Lance frowned glancing at the Pikachu in an induced coma sleeping beside Ash.

Ash looked so much younger than his fifteen years, he was still a child. He should never have been involved in this. _In any of these messes_.

Yet time and again he was hearing about a trainer and his Pikachu showing up and fighting.

Defending others, being hurt, then practically skipping town as soon as he could.

Each Champion doing their best to try and keep track of the boy, fearing for his safety. 

"Excuse us... may we come in?" Lance tilted his head, eyeing the group of teenagers hesitantly poking their heads through the door. Lance made himself comfortable on the camp bed he'd been given.

"Sure, sleeping beauty won't be waking up anytime soon." Lance shifted the pillows under his leg and reluctantly wheeled the small desk towards him. He pulled the first file off it and uncapped his pen.

"Oh Ho-oh, strike me down." Lance peered at the open window. "Nothing? Come on! I just want a vacation!" Lance huffed then immersed himself in the report his elite four had briefly written. Most being brief summaries, his still had to written then everything would have to be turned over to the council to be held on record.

"How is he?" A young boy with blond hair asked. Lance scribbled his signature as he answered.

"He's severely dehydrated, sleep deprived and exhausted. That not taking into account his broken ankle from a frankly stupid move, but kudos to him he did cause a great distraction." Lance bit his pen cap as he looked over the incomprehensible gibberish Bruno had written.

"Dammit Bruno." He sighed and tossed the file onto the floor to be rewritten when the man was more coherent.

He took hold of Lorelei's report and paused aware of eyes on him. He peered suspiciously back at the teenagers.

"First time?" He queried, suddenly aware of the fact that Alola had no champion or elite four. No one to report to them about Ash's health, whereabouts and track record with legendary pokemon. 

"He'll be fine. He'll be up and running around with pikachu sooner than you think." He lamented to himself, wishing the kid could just take a break. He probably had until this ultra beast thing and then probably signed up for up just because no one in the Alola region was prepared.

And then this happened.

Kid could not catch a break.

"You need a vacation more than I do. Maybe I should pray to Ho-oh to strike you down, with your luck he'll respond. " Lance muttered to himself as Ash slept on unaware. Machinery surrounding him keeping track of his vitals, feeding him.

"Why would you say something like that? After everything..." the green haired girl was near tears. Lance quickly sat up to diffuse the situation only to feel white hot pain, sharp and blinding.

He hissed through clenched teeth, arms hovering above his chest and ribs. He flexed his fingers, relaxing, forcefully slowing his breathing. He slowly uncurled from his position to see Cynthia at the door shooing the teenagers.out and accepting pokeballs.

* * *

"You frightened them, someone ran to get a nurse, I took over instead." Cynthia said kneeling down to pick up the file and pen, righting a water bottle that had fallen. Thankfully not on the paperwork. 

"Rest for the moment, you can back to these later." Cynthia ordered sternly moving to grab paper towelspapertowels to clean up the mess. Her eyes zeroing in on Satoshi, face lax with peace.

She dumped the towels on the floor mopping up the mess and had just gotten up to dump the lot when the door opened and Diantha peered in.

Her eyes instantly drawn to Satoshi. Her shoulders slumped, then her gaze shifted to Lance with a quirked brow.

"Heard you frightened some kids." Lance sent her a gesture that had Cynthia hiding a smile as she finished dumping the soggy towels. 

"What's the news on the others?" Diantha sat down at the edge of Satoshi's bed and looked down at her booted foot.

"Pretty much all the same. Comatose. Some toxins attacking the nervous system, shutting down their immune system. The reason we were given antibiotics. Those people that Satoshi had freed had taken research Aether kept and it was because of them that everyone has received the very best treatment that they could." Diantha peered at Satoshi, grabbing hold of his limp hand and giving it a squeeze.

Cynthia's heart went out for her.

It was a few months ago that Satoshi had been in her region, in a hospital bed just like this. Lysander was a real piece of work.

It was only due to her Gardevoir that she and Lance could see Satoshi and watch over him in secrecy while Diantha and Steven stood before the council.

To see him like this again. So soon.

"The Aether President, Lusamine had been possessed once before. Many seem to be exhibiting the same symptoms at an accelerated rate, it's theorized to be like this because so many of them were possessed and this ultra beast has a hive like mentality."

* * *

Diantha bit her lip, Satoshi's hand felt so small and cold in hers. He was somehow worse off than all of those possessed.

Only Kukui, Burnet and Pikachu coming close to the state he was currently in.

"They won't be allowed visitors after today unless they go through rigorous tests to remain clean. Their immune systems are comprised now. As we all agreed to remain here the staff have graciously allowed us to use their showers. If we show signs of sickness we will be kicked out." Lance pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Of course it couldn't be that simple. And Ash's pokemon?" Cynthia cleared her throat and held out three pokeballs.

"They won't be allowed out either, only Pikachu and that's only because Hoopa made them give their word that they wouldn't be separated." All of them turned to the incubator that held Pikachu. Paw seemingly trying to reach for Satoshi even while unconscious. Diantha stood and pulled the cart closer jumping in surprise when Satoshi's hand slipped off the bed.

"Satoshi?" She called hopefully but he remained unresponsive. She carefully slipped his hand back on the bed.

"I truly envy their bond." Lance smiled, leaning back into his stack of pillow. His eyes soft as he watched over Satoshi.

"And what of Burnet and Kukui?" Lance asked self consciously when he caught sight of Diantha and Cynthia staring.

"Both unresponsive, like the rest. They did notice that their eye color had lightened, an employee of Aether stating that Lusamine's eyes also lightened." Lance shot her a queer look. She shrugged in response.

"No one else?" She shook her head, he frowned thoughtfully glancing at Pikachu.

Her heart throbbed at the thought of what color Pikachu's eyes would be.

"Could it be... from what we know there were only four that were actually capable of individual thought. The rest were soldiers beedrill mentality." Diantha felt sick.

"Queen and King, Alphas." Lance nodded.

"The regional council will push for their own task force on ultra beasts." He stated grimly as they all turned to face Satoshi.

"We should focus on recovery." Cynthia stated softly making her way to Satoshi and depositing his pokeballs beside his hand.

His hand curled around the balls.

"You saw the right?" Cynthia asked heart pounded in her chest as Diantha gave his other hand a squeeze. He didn't give any signs that he was waking.

"Maybe it was a fluke?" They all shared a look then glanced back at Satoshi and let the matter lie.

If anyone could move in a coma it would be him.

* * *

Lance made himself comfortable and closed the curtains, leaving and inch open so that light fell across Ash's lap if he did happen to wake.

"Goodnight Ash. May your Darkrai friend safeguard your dreams." Lance shut his eyes feeling a cold presence. He peeked an eye open and saw menacing red eyes glowing beneath the bed.

His heart nearly leapt out of his chest before he received a thumbs up.

He practically sank into his pillows.

"Don't scare me like that!" He hissed and shut his eyes to sleep.

Lance groaned, sleeping in a reclined position was not comfortable. He forced his eyes open, rubbing his eyes, grumbling at his sore and aching muscles. He glances towards Ash and double takes at the Pokemonpokemon asleep on his bed.

An orange canine, a black and red orange feline, a tan and green bird resting on top of Pikachu's incubator, and three legendaries.

He glanced at the window and promptly shut his eyes.

"Not sun up. Not my problem." He relaxed back into his pillows, a soft weight plopping down on his lap. He took a slow even breath and resist the urge to open his eyes, even as something prodded his arm. He simply shifted his arm over his lap subsequently curling his arm over something small. 

_Not. His._

**Problem.**

"Lance?" He snorted, jolting awake and was slapped by a tail. He went crossed eyed at the Mew lying on his chest. He glanced at the window to see the sun had risen by now. He looked back to see the pokémon still on Ash's bed, the IV bags having been changed sometime in the past few hours. 

"Uh... I can explain?" He offered even as he wondered how to explain the Darkrai still beneath the bed while several pokémon slept on Ash's bed. Cynthia shrugged and pulled out her phone and snapped a photo.

"This one is going in the Champion calendar." Lance growled and tried to sit up only to get tail slapped again. He laid back, arm going across his forehead.

"Ho-oh strike me now. My body is ready." He moved his wrist but the skies remained clear.

"Give it up Lance, your prayers will never be answered. " Lance huffed and looked to Ash to see his hand curled into the canine's fur while the other hung off the bed as if reaching for Pikachu.

"It's probably best his pokémon remain with him, I think he's responding more to them even than us." Cynthia nodded and left the room, Diantha brought him a cup of coffee and pulled a napkin with a bagel out of her sling. He shot her a look but received a shrug in response.

He sighed and accepted the bagel shooting Mew a look, Mew opened a single eyes then lazily flicked their tail. 

He ate the bagel and took careful sips of his coffee as he waited for the legendary to tire of him. He needed another shower and a change of clothes.

He glared enviously at Diantha's pristine state while he was sure he looked like a slob in comparison.

Even Cynthia looked better than him and she hadn't put her ridiculous hair ornaments. 

"You should feel honored, Lance. The legendary Mew is asleep on you." She laughed into her hand, Lance rolled his eyes and continued sipping his coffee.

"I'd like to see you in my position. Then we can talk." He griped then stuck his hand out and pulled the wheeled drawer the hospital had provided for him closer. He set his coffee on the window sill and opened a file. Diantha crinkled her nose and heaved a sigh.

"I suppose I should get started on that as well." She pursed her lips, glanced at the room then chose the corner furthest from the door. 

"I will be back shortly." She turned on her heel stumbling over her clunky boot and left the room.

"Well, back to work then. Keep an eye on Ash." Lance called out to the room as he immersed himself in Agatha's report. 

"Ashkan's friend." Lance looked up, Hoopa was staring at Ash with concern, Mew helped him to his feet as he hobbled over. Darkrai rose up from beneath the bed, arms crossed over its chest.

Ash was crying. His hand was clenched tightly into orange fur, on the other hand searching.

Lance reached out, squeezing Ash's hand.

"You're all safe now. Pikachu is safe." Lance bit his lip, glancing around the room. 

"Hoopa, keep an eye on the door." Lance order letting go of Ash's hand and gently shifting the bird Pokemon as he opened the container. He reached in and pulled Pikachu out and set him against Ash, careful not to disconnect anything attached to either of them. Ash's grip relaxed, his searching hand curling around Pikachu and tears stopping.

Lance rested his hand on Ash's hand.

"He's safe I promise, but your both injured right now. He's going to be right beside you, even if you can't touch him, I promise he is right here." Lance whispered gathering Pikachu back into his arms and returning him to the incubator. All was silent, the pokemon eyeing him with wonder and respect.

Lance awkwardly rubbed his neck.

He doesn't know why they were looking at him like that. He didn't do anything to deserve those kinds of looks.

He reached down and squeezed Ash's hand one last time feeling the way the muscles stiffened slightly and made his way back to his bed feeling just a touch lighter.

"That went better than I expected." He relaxed back into his bed and picked Agatha's report back up. He smiled, at least he didn't have to make any corrections to her report. All that was left was for Bruno to rewrite his and for Lance to write his as well. Carefully omitting any information that pointed to Ash's identity. 

"Excuse me, I came to check on Mr. Ketchum."


	8. I'd Spend Every Hour Of Everyday Keeping You Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kukui, Burnet and Pikachu wake up. None of these are happy occasions.  
> So much pain. So much suffering. Memories replaying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: you are the reason - Calum Scott

Kukui glanced upwards at the stairs when Ash clambered down, Pikachu clinging to his back chattering at Rowlet who cooed sleepily. 

Ash brought his closed fist to his shoulder nudging Rowlet to step on and then quickly moved him to the back of the couch and rushed back to catch his backpack and Torracat. 

Torracat was let go, dropping to the floor gracefully.

Lycanroc jumped off the loft and Ash caught him with a laugh. 

"One of these days you're both going to get hurt." Ash set Lycanroc down with a pout.

"Lycanroc isn't that big. I can still carry him." Ash pouted as he moved to grab everyone's bowls. Kukui ruffles Ash's hair as he passes by.

"When you're done can you go get Burnet, she's downstairs." Ash called out an affirmation and busied himself with feeding his pokemon. 

Kukui grinned to himself.

This was the life.

A full house.

"Mama said she's coming, she said ten more minutes." Kukui and Ash shared fond looks as they eyed the empty space at the table. "She said that ten minutes ago, didn't she?" Ash quickly scrambled out of his seat and made his way back downstairs.

A loud cry following his thundering footsteps. Pikachu shot him a look, then followed after Ash. 

"Wait. Assssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" Came the long wail, growing louder and louder until Ash appeared with his arm looped through Burnet's.

"Now we can eat! Papa said you told him ten minutes ten minutes ago, we aren't going to repeat last week." Burnet sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck as she was led to the table.

"You're right. Let's chow down." Ash grinned triumphantly and settled down to eat.

"Pika!" Pikachu called pointing at the clock. Kukui choked on his coffee, Burnet inhaled the wrong way and Ash began scarfing down his food.

"WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!!!" They shrieked scrambling like mad to grab everything they needed as they rushed to the door. Kukui handing Ash his bag, Ash tossing keys to Burnet, Burnet shoving a satchel at Kukui as they burst out the door and ran for their lives.

"Why can't we ever have a peaceful morning!!" Burnet wailed as she rushed off to the jeep, Ash laughed as he waved her off and followed Kukui's lead to the pokémon school.

"Just one morning i wish we didn't have to rush." Kukui huffed as they dashed into the school gate as the alarm rang signalling they had five minutes to get to class.

"But then we wouldn't have so much fun!" Ash laughed, Pikachu adopting a stern stance as he lectured Ash who waved him off.

"We always get here with a few minutes to spare, even when papa has a meeting." Pikachu laughed then shocked Ash who pouted as he walked into class sparking wildly.

"Alola Ash! Pikachu! Professor Kukui!" Ash grinned as he took his seat.

"Alola." Ash greeted everyone turning to face Kukui as Kukui set his satchel onto his desk and greeted the class.

"Okay, we're going to dive right into things, yes Gladion?" Kukui called on the pale teenager.

"Weren't we going to go on a field trip today? Mother was fretting over it this morning." Kukui stared blankly at him, glanced at Ash who shot him an equally blank look. Kukui glanced at his planner and saw that they did have a field trip to Aether Paradise today. He could have _sworn_ it had already passed.

"You're right Gladion, i don't know where my mind was this morning. Everyone has their bags?" There were various nods, Ash shooting him and uneasy look.

Kukui sent him a probing look but Ash shrugged.

Kukui waited for everyone to climb into the boat. Before he called out to the captain to set sail. 

"Everything okay Ash?" Kukui asked softly, aware of the other kids talking amongst themselves.

Ash hugged Pikachu close.

"I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu." Kukui tucked Ash into his side and stared at the ocean below them. For a second the world flashed dark blue but when he blinked everything seemed normal.

Ash sent him a questioning look, Kukui smiled. 

"We're here!" Lillie called out leaning against the rail as she waved at Lusamine standing in the docking bay. Lusamine waved, and for some reason that felt strange to him. He shrugged the feeling off and herded the children to the ramp, Ash practically skipping off as he laughed and asked Gladion question after question.

 _Almost_ as if he had never known any trouble.

Kukui resolved to keep a closer eye on him just in case.

"Very well then, let us head towards the Paradise. Burnet will be meeting us there." Lusamine grinned at him and he blushed, here he was married to the love of his life and he still blushed. How embarrassing.

Kukui cleared his throat aware of the laughter ahead of him, Ash defending him with an indignant sound. His poor keiki. 

"Now here at Aether Paradise we look after injured pokémon. Pokemon that have been abused or abandoned." Kukui recalls Ash mentioning that he had experiencing rehabilitating abused and abandoned Pokémon. When he'd asked him if he wanted to work at Aether Ash had shaken his head and declared he would be a pokémon master.

"Ash has experience with that too." Ash sent him a queer look, Pikachu looked just as confused.

"No I don't..." Kukui froze. Why did he think that Ash did then?

The moment seemed to pass as they reached the paradise and Kukui couldn't help but feel even more ill at ease. 

Something was wrong.

He couldn't tell what, but he knew something was wrong.

Almost like deja vu, only things were not aligning correctly.

"Kukui!" Kukui snapped out of his thoughts and smiled as he caught sight of Burnet. She flashed green, the color fading just as quickly as it came, causing him to stumble.

Burnet had a hand on his arm with a worried look in her hazel eyes.

"Whoops. Clumsy me, I tripped." Burnet eyed him for a moment before reluctantly accepting his white lie. He glanced around to see the kids with the ditto. He pushed back the lingering feeling of unease and focused on the kids.

Ash laughed as a ditto transformed into Pikachu and sat on his shoulder opposite the original. 

He relaxed at the sounds of Ash with pokemon.

Ash loved Pokemon more than anything.

~~_**'I choose you Pikachu. I choose you over the world.' Ash smiled.** _ ~~

Kukui shook his head glancing out at the water only to see it rippling. He glanced around but no one seemed to pay it any mind as the children moved onwards to some sandshrew and sandslash.

He glanced back at the lake to see the water calm, not even a ripple in sight. 

"Lusamine, weren't you going to show the kids-" Kukui froze as some weird outline was superimposed over her, she tilted her head in confusion...

"Oh! You're right! Come along now children!" Lusamine ushered then all forward, but as they neared the center of the paradise he could feel his skin began to crawl.

Ash slowed his pace looking pale as he came to a stop. Kukui made his way over to Ash, wondering when he had lost his hat and saw the children and Lusamine had stopped. Burnet came up beside him with a questioning look.

He turned to face her when the world _changed_ again.

A dark blue tint taking over his vision, Ash backed away from him Pikachu no longer in his arms.

"Ash?" He called extending a hand only to realize how distorted his voice sounded. Ash flinched, Kukui flinched then stared at his arm in horror.

This wasn't his arm.

The long white rope like appendages were not him!

Ash curled into himself, blood running down his chin, tears staining his cheeks. Kukui wildly spun around. There was destruction and ruin everywhere!

The kids!

He watched them taking off on flying types, the Guardian deities shooting after them. He looked back and Burnet stood beside him. She appeared to be trapped in some type of aquatic being.

Something whispered in the back or his mind.

It sounded familiar.

Ash had Rowlet in his arms looking behind them. Kukui looked behind him and felt sick. Dozens of these things that had swallowed Burnet and himself were floating behind them. Swiftly grabbing people and consuming them.

Some being dropped to the ground unmoving with expression of horror on their faces.

"Ash, Sweetie. You're hurt. Let us help you." Burnet crooned hands reaching out but they were trapped in the bubble of the creature's head that appeared to be feeding off her.

Ash took a step back, suddenly by the water. He took another step, ankles submerged.

Kukui watched Ash tip backwards and dove forward trying to reach for his keiki only for the water to vanish before his back could meet any resistance. The legendary Giratina was directly beneath him, Ash smiled at him, a peaceful smile that said not to worry.

The portal closed and Kukui hit the water.

He heard and enraged roar and then a thunderous echo of a tree splintering. He looked up and spotted Pikachu engulfed by another one of those ultra beasts.

This was _wrong._

 _Everything_ was wrong.

 _ **Why**_ was it wrong? What _happened?_

' ~~ _ **I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu.' Ash whispered**_~~.

Kukui felt his heart thundering in his chest as he watched young adults, adults ranging from eighteen to forty get rounded up alongside several pokémon. They were frightened.

Crying.

Stoic.

Some so far into fear and denial they were catatonic as they limply allowed themselves to be led forward. Lusamine appeared before him challenging him. He struck her pokémon down. _Why?_

He was somehow able to use Stone edge and pinned her in place forcing her to submit to him.

_**WHy?!** _

They were restoring the paradise. Kukui was having bodies carelessly piled into a room. Uncaring for the young adults crying. Uncaring for the employees who simply did as they were told trying to ignore the reality they were in.

Burnet and Pikachu carried on making plans, he agreed to them. _**WHY?!**_

When it came to Ash's history he realized. This was real. This was a **living nightmare**. _**No...**_

 **This was his reality**. Ash was _not_ his keiki.

Ash was his boarder. 

A trainer from Kanto who had the weight of the world on his shoulders yet offered everyone a smile even when he hid from the world and cried alone.

Alone with only a Pikachu to offer him comfort. 

Kukui relived everything.

The **pain** he put so many people through.

The pain and fear he'd instilled into pokemon. 

The _injuries_ he had dealt to the Guardian deities. 

To **legendaries**. 

To the Champions of other regions.

To their _elite four_.

Kukui wept as he struck down champion Lance who had tried to make peace with him.

 _Tried_ to make him _see_ what he was doing.

He full on sobbed as he took in Ash's state as he stood between Burnet and Entei.

Ash was beaten and bruised.

Barely standing, he looked so small and frail as he pleaded. Begged them to stop fighting.

Voice cracking as he admitted that he was _tired._

It broke Kukui's heart to see him flinch away from Kukui. Arms wrapping around himself in a hug, bruises the shape of Kukui's not arm wrapped around his left arm and right leg.

It _hurt._ He couldn't **bear** to look _anymore!_ He needed to _see_ Ash! He needed to make _sure_ he was **alright!**

Darkness took over.

When it faded Kukui was looking at Ash use a z move he had only seen in paintings on a wall.

Ash looked **worse.**

As if there was a ten ton weight in each limb. He performed an axe kick that would leave rocks shattered if performed by a martial artist.

Instead it embedded Pikachu into the floor. And Kukui found himself using stone edge on Ash as he stood in a typical kantonese guard.

Ash performed a spin kick and shattered stones encirling him protectively. Sending Kukui and Burnet flying as well.

Kukui wanted to shut his eyes but even when he did the scene continued to play. Ash's words from early. No, from his _dream,_ echoed eerily.

_**~~I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu~~.** _

_**"PIKACHU!!!!!!!"**_ Ash screamed as if his soul had been violently ripped out of him. All around the fighting had come to a halt. 

_**I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu.** _

Kukui could see Ash curled over Pikachu.

Cradling his starter close.

He rushed towards him wanting to stop his pain.

"STAY AWAY!!!" Ash shrieked voice high with emotions. "YOU'VE DONE _ENOUGH!_ _JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!_ " His keening wails tearing through Kukui.

~~**_I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu. I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu. I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know._ _I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know._ _I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_.** **_I don't know._** ** _I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_. _I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_.**~~

~~**_I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu_.** ~~

_"Pikachu!!"_ He wailed, as if he were losing his grip on reality. Denial high as he jostled the electric mouse. A small furry pokémon appeared, warbling as it pressed its paws to Pikachu's cheeks.

**_I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu._**

He watched Ash summon Aura. The way only Lucario could. He watched Ash breathe life into his Pikachu. He watched as Ash faded.

Completely spent he passed out with eyes open. 

He and Burnet were attacked. And then they were being held down by a psychic type pokemon. 

There was excruciating pain. _**"He's seizing! Someone get the doctor!!!"**_ Everything burned.

There was so much pain, but he was offered a kindness. A bridge.

_**"What happened?! Quick someone give me 10mg of diazepam!"** _

He could see **Ash.**

_Laughing._

_Smiling._

_Playing, sleeping, studying, eating, swimming._

_Ash happy and enjoying every minute of every day, even when he had his down._

_'_ _Kukui-hakase! Tell me about how you challenged Lance!' Ash exclaimed excitedly as he threw himself on the couch and made himself comfortable beside Kukui._

_'Again? Didn't I just tell you this story last week?' Kukui teased, Ash looked up at him, eyes shining with joy and excitement._

_'Yeah but hardly anyone, ever gets to Lance! They get beaten by Agatha. And you're strategies are so amazing!' Ash exclaimed, hands raised into the air._

**"His vitals are stabilizing."**

_Ash soft laughter echoed._

Then he fell in soft darkness. It almost felt soothing.

Kukui gasped. Everything **hurt.** Everything felt sore.

His vision blurred but that did not stop him as he forced uncooperative limbs to move. Forced himself to turn, reaching for rails to pull himself into a sitting position. 

He had to see Ash. He had to see Burnet.

He _**needed**_ to see them. Kukui ripped off machinery plugged into him. Legs practically jelly as he dragged himself to the door.

Everything ached.

He persevered and climbed to his feet, door opening under his hand. He leaned against the wall and realized he had no idea where Ash was.

"Darkrai said you were awake. Hoopa will take you to Ashkan." A small Pokemon with a mischievous face said as it slipped off its bracelet. Then pushed Kukui into it. He landed on a soft bouncy surface.

He glanced behind him and saw pink.

"Tini!" Cried out the soft pokemon, from before that had cried over Pikachu, then promptly vanished. He could see an indent near Ash's head. Ash turned his head so that it faced the small pokemon.

"Kukui?" Kukui glanced around and spotted Champion Lance on a camp bed with pillows piled around him.

He was in a long t-shirt and sweats, hair falling into his face as he set his brush down.

He sighed head raised to the ceiling, raising his palms up.

"Why won't you just take me already. I've literally called upon every single legendary. Someone end me." He whined burying his face in his hands as he muttered foul oaths. A pillow smacked into him, he simply tucked it under his arm.

"I'm keeping this. You're testing me, this is because of my days of rebellion isn't it?" Kukui has no idea what parallel world he walked into but he wanted out.

Preferably after checking on Ash.

"Mew, go get Cynthia. Or Diantha. Or anyone. I don't care who." Lance never raised his head from his palm as he waved a hand at the door. Mew giggled and moved forward popping the bubble Kukui was on.

He landed across Ash's legs and winced as a cast dug into his ribs. 

He was pulled off Ash and set in a chair by Darkrai?! Yup. Definitely a parallel world.

There was a strange noise. Like a shriek but muted somehow. 

"Ash is still in the hospital Giratina! I told you Cynthia would let you know when he was up!" Lance shouted at the window. Kukui carefully crept towards the call nurse button but Lance whipped open the curtains and Giratina was peering into the room with a sad expression.

Lance's ire evaporated as he leaned out the window.

"Sorry buddy, it's been a rough week. I promise, first one to know aside from these freeloaders, will be you." Giratina nodded and flew upwards. 

"What is going on?" Kukui croaked voice cracking as he began to cough. His throat drier than Ash's attempts at cake. Water was handed to him, and he looked up to thank his rescuer when he saw Champion Diantha. 

"Glad you survived." she said warmly patting his back as he drank water. Kukui glanced back at Lance to see him brushing his hair before giving up when Mew swatted at his hand.

He tossed his arms into the air with a put upon expression then leaned back into his pillows. Mew settled down on his lap poking his cheek with their tail.

Lance steadfastly ignoring the prodding studied Kukui with a shrewd glare.

"What?" Lance looked to Diantha who nodded and left the room with the pokémon that called itself Hoopa.

"It's just that you and Burnet experienced the same symptoms at the same time. It's possible that she woke up too. You four are the last to wake up. Congratulations on sleeping for a week." Lance stated glancing down at Ash with worry and hope. Darkrai shook its head and sank under the bed leaving Lance to stare despondently at an incubator. Kukui sat up and saw Pikachu. 

~~_**I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to lose Pikachu**_~~.

"Pikachu's alive?!" He was glad, Ash hadn't lost Pikachu. It wasn't just hopeful wishing and dreaming.

"Yeah, but at what cost?" Lance muttered, flinching as the tail slapped him across the face.

"You can't even tell me if he'll wake up!" He yelled, Mew sat up and stared at him, silently stared.

Lance bowed his head.

"I'm sorry." Mew curled back up on his lap and this time Lance began to pet them.

"Ash is the only one who has yet to show any signs of waking. He doesn't respond to outside stimuli and only his pokémon seem to be able to cause him to react. Even then it's very little. Lycanroc?" Lance gestures to the canine.

Lycanroc whines, Ash's hand settles across the canine's snout before it stills.

 _None_ of the machinery twitched in its readings.

"Pikachu hasn't woken either but he shows more response, doctors think he'll awaken any day now." Lance looked exhausted. He could see bandages peeking out through his sleeves, near his shoulder, his leg was in a cast to mid thigh. Rings dark under his eyes, bruises visible all over his skin, a split lip barely healed.

He looked nothing like the Champion he had challenged.

Or the Champion that had challenged him at Aether. 

"Champion Lance-" Lance waved his hand.

"No need to stand on ceremony. I'm on break." He muttered something about needing a vacation and gestured for Kukui to continue.

"Er, Lance... how is everyone else?" Lance stopped petting Mew, shrewd gaze once more focused on Kukui.

"Most started waking up within the first three days. Everyone is immunocompromised and the hospital is on lockdown to prevent anyone from getting any illnesses. No visitors in or out. Diantha and Cynthia along with myself chose to stay to look after things, now we can't exactly leave until the lockdown is lifted." He shrugged a shoulder, wincing lightly.

"Some of the people did pass, their bodies unable to handle the stress but it was a handful, most everyone is on their way to making a full recovery." Lance went from laid back to alert with a hand protectively covering Mew as the door was blown open.

"ASH!" Kukui shot to his feet and threw himself forward as Burnet's legs gave out. Both floated in the air, psychic energy holding them up.

~~_Burnet's eyes were gold. Gold and full of such guilt and shame it hurt to even meet her gaze. Her beautiful white hair was a faded mint green at the tips. What happened?!_ ~~

"Hoopa didn't surprise anyone." The mischievous pokemon sulked as it floated into the room with its arms crossed over its chest. Champions Diantha and Cynthia stood at the door, Diantha with her arm over Cynthia's shoulder as she lowered her leg to the ground.

"She's pretty fast." Cynthia said as she helped Diantha limp over to Lance's camp bed.

Lance shifted his leg heaving a tired sigh.

* * *

"Just Ash and Pikachu are left." He muttered, Diantha could feel his misery. Satoshi showed no signs of getting better or worse as the others had.

Of course, his situation was different, that didn't mean much to them as they waited day and night by his bedside.

Their enthusiasm never waned, neither did their hope even if their spirits took a few hits as they waited anxiously. 

Using Hoopa to their advantage with permission of course. Sending paperwork. Sending letters. Meeting in person to finish business here and there. At least until the lockdown was initiated.

They couldn't leave the hospital or they'd risk introducing new germs into the sterile environment so they settled for phone calls. Checking in wherever they could.

More than once Lance, Cynthia and Diantha were found passed out in various rest areas of the hospital and were brought back to Satoshi's room by the legendaries residing within.

Talks with Satoshi's mother were hard. Being unable to let her see her soon and unable to give her any good news, aside from the fact that he hadn't gotten worse. They knew not to inform her of the legendaries residing within Satoshi's room.

Satoshi having told them of his and his mother's deal to not speak of legendary disasters. Just to say he was safe.

It made it hard to speak to the worried mother.

Harder for Lance, who seemed to shrink into himself after each conversation. Longing and despair in his eyes as he looked over Ash after each tense conversation. 

Diantha nor Cynthia could get _that_ particular story out of him. Though they did have suspicions.

They had already ruled out Lance being Satoshi's father.

"A nurse will be right up to check on you two, then you'll be taken back to your rooms." Diantha gently explained.

* * *

"You will let us know if anything..." Kukui trailed off, did he even have the right to ask after Ash? After all that he put him through? Kukui glanced down when his feet touched the ground and realized they had been held up with psychic this whole time.

"We're not going to keep anything from you, but for now focus on your recovery." Kukui could see that same understanding in Lance's eyes as before. "Ash is strong. He will pull through this." Kukui swallowed tightly against the tears and nodded as he turned around to see a male and female nurse standing by the door.

"Let's get you two checked out." He allowed himself to be escorted out of Ash's room with one last glance over his shoulder at the sleeping trainer.

Ash deserved better than this. Better than to be stuck in a coma because of their actions. Their selfishness had caused him so much pain. Had nearly taken away something irreplaceable. 

Had nearly taken the one being in the whole world Ash trusted.

He had almost taken away his _smile._

* * *

Lance peered over at Cynthia who nodded and followed after them.

"Kukui was surprised Pikachu was alive. He remembers something," Lance gracefully accepting defeat as Mew made themselves at home on his lap.

"Lusamine remembers when no one else does, and we already theorized that it's because of the alpha trait in her while the rest adopted worker beedrill mentality." Lance nodded, feeling ill at ease at the thought of Kukui and Burnet, let alone Pikachu remembering the pain they put Ash through.

They weren't actually in control of their actions. Not in the way that counted.

These ultra beasts, from what several employees had stated, were full of malicious intent.

Having attempted to kidnap the president's daughter as a child. And the president's husband. It seemed that the species used humans as a form of energy, and wanted to take over the world for an endless resource.

"They just woke up. Let's give them a day." Lance felt they deserved a break before they had to relieve the traumatic events.

They looked like utter shit, and he knew what that felt like. 

"Tini? Tini!" Lance glanced up from Mew to see Victini dancing happily above Pikachu's incubator. Rowlet hopped up, chirping and cooing excitedly. 

"Wai-" Nurse Joy sighed, eyeing the ring behind her then faced the incubator. "We're going to have another talk Hoopa." She said moving to the incubator and making a few adjustments to some machinery.

Lance climbed to his feet and limped forward, Pikachu was staring blearily at them.

"Good to see you awake Pikachu." He smiled. Pikachu met his eyes, tearing up.

His heart fell. Pikachu's _eyes._

Pikachu's sclera was pure white, his pupils a murky gray. He looked blind. But he couldn't be. He was looking directly at Ash. Tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Pikapi." He cried, tears falling. Nurse Joy removed everything but the IV, and heart monitor as she carefully scooped the mouse into her arms.

"You're all safe now. See?" Pikachu warbled tearfully reaching out for Ash. Ash twitched hand falling off the bed before falling still.

"Is it possible to keep Pikachu on the same bed?" Lance and Diantha asked, sharing equal looks of heartbreak at the sight of Pikachu reaching and crying. _It hurt._

Seeing Pikachu so weak. Crying out for his partner. Seeing his eyes, normally a warm brown now white and gray.

Seeing him in Ash's position, especially when it was usually Ash crying for Pikachu despite being badly injured.

"We will have to keep a Blissey, and nurse stationed on the room to make sure no complications arise." Nurse Joy stated, voice soft as her eyes watered, she lowered Pikachu to Ash's bed and the mouse calmed. Ash's hand loosely curling around a paw.

Nurse Joy rubbed a finger under her eyes then turned to Hoopa who giggled into his hands.

"Oops?" Nurse Joy crooked a finger and beckons the legendary to follow her as she steps into the portal.

"Remember Hoopa! Remember Hoopa as Hoopa was, not as what Hoopa becomes!" The legendary cried dramatically as it followed behind and vanished into its portal.

"It's not me right?" Lance asked staring blankly at the space before him. Diantha stared ahead, eyes seeing through.

"No." She replied. Lance shook his head, of course Ash would befriend a crazy legendary. 

* * *

_Ash could feel a spark. Like earth. One of fire. Of grass and wind. Darkness pooled beneath him but it was safe. Strength that quivered in a ball. Mischievous hands petting his hair. A barely there static, mixed with strength and heart? Strength and heart nurtured the sparkling, it was slowly growing. There was a feeling of light, something touched his cheek._

_He was so cold._

_**Tired.** _

_**Exhausted.** _

* * *

"Nearly all the reports are complete. We just have to interview Kukui and Burnet, have Aether create the profiles and then bury them." Diantha stated sitting on the edge of Satoshi's bed, Hoopa sulked as he pet Satoshi's hair.

"Mew?" Mew floated off Lance's lap and prodded Satoshi's cheek but he remained unresponsive. Diantha used to this attitude from the legendaries turned her attention to Lance. 

"I'll take Kukui, you take Burnet and Cynthia can watch Ash this time." Lance's eyes never left Satoshi's prone form. If it weren't for Diantha and Cynthia taking turns to watch over Satoshi he would never sleep. They all felt responsible. 

If they had been able to stop the battle sooner. Had not concentrated on Pikachu.

Had coordinated _better._

But they **hadn't.**

And Satoshi had paid the price.

Pikachu had paid the ultimate price.

If it weren't for Satoshi's love, he would have lost his whole world. 

"He's going to pull through, just have faith." Diantha smirked as she decided to prod at him. "Maybe your prayers for healing will work better than your prayers for a smiting." Lance looked away from Satoshi to shoot her an offended look.

"Right in front of my Mew?" He scoffed, the legendary curling around his shoulders. "We're buddies! Mew would never." He hissed, the pouted, actually pouted.

"Even when I asked nicely." He muttered before coughing into his fist.

"We should get going now. It's best to get this over with." He made to stand but a wheelchair bumped into his leg. Lance shot Mew an unimpressed glare but maneuvered himself into the chair with a raised brow. Mew giggled and the wheelchair began to roll forwards.

"At least Mew here is making sure you don't push yourself." Diantha grinned at the gestures Lance showed her as he was pushed out the door.

Her grin faded as she looked down at Satoshi. She bit her lip, eyeing the pokémon around him then set the clock. Cynthia wouldn't be back for another thirty minutes but she didn't want to keep Burnet waiting. Burnet and Kukui specifically requested to be interviewed in their rooms not wanting Satoshi to hear anything. 

"Hoopa will ring someone if Ashkan or Pikan has any trouble." Hoopa offered. Diantha nodded thankfully, bidding the djinn legendary farewell as she stepped into his ring.


	9. I Will Protect You From All Around You I Will Be Here Don't You Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be like ripping off a bandaid. Only.  
> Only. It hurt so much.  
> How could they live with this guilt? All they wanted was to protect someone they found precious. Someone they cherished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: Phil Collins- you'll be in my heart

"It pretty much started long before this first invasion. Twelve years ago, Lusamine's husband. Mohn was abducted. Then five years ago her daughter was almost abducted." Kukui scratched his wrist, everything ached.

"Ash was entrusted with the hatchling of the legendaries Solgaleo and Lunala by the Guardian Deities of Alola. He called it Nebby." Kukui smiled, remembering how protective Ash and Pikachu were of the baby.

It had surprised him to see him able to watch over the hatchling, of course Ash explained he'd had hatchlings before. Of course, he really shouldn't have been surprised. 

"It was given the designation Cosmog, with one other evolution dubbed Cosmoem before it evolved into Solgaleo when Lusamine was abducted." Ash hadn't hesitated before hugging the legendary.

_To him that was still his baby._

Now he understands how Ash could see the legendary pokemon as if it were just like any regular pokemon. So many encounters.

So many life or death situations. 

To him, nothing was out of the ordinary.

He easily took charge of the situation. Led a group of noncombatants along side a group of two other combatants. Fought hard. 

And made sure in the end that they had all walked away together.

_He made sure that he could walk away with Pikachu. Look death in the eyes and took back what was wrongfully stolen away._

* * *

"After the kids had returned with Lusamine, our doctors and scientists ran various tests and created antibiotics to combat the toxins left behind." Burnet folded her hands in her lap feeling her eyes burn with shame. "We kept it from the public, we didn't want to incite fear." She continues aware of Diantha's smoldering stare 

"We later realized that the ultra beasts didn't take the kids field trip lightly and began breaching the space between worlds. Thus the creation of the Ultra Guardians."

The long hours of research. Of studying various materials to create sufficient enough suits that would orotect and bit hinder mobility. The look Ash had given them while the other children exclaimed in awe.

_The way the serious look melted off and was replaced with excitement when the other children turned his way. Not wanting them to realize how serious the situation actually was._

_How he had drilled them with evasive maneuvers. Taught them to have eachother's backs._

_Training long and hard while making it a Game. _

* * *

"I was studying some water pokémon I was going to show my class later when the sirens that signal a tsunami were activated. I saw Ash swimming so I gave him a ride back to shore. He told me there was an alert that had gone out. Multiple ultra beasts were breaching." Kukui shuddered at the fear he remembers feeling.

_Ash smiled at him, and then it felt as if everything would be okay._

"We were sent to the Aether foundation as opposed to the base at the school. There the Ultra Rangers, recruits that had been trained by the kids for combat were finally ready to go out. It was a mess." Kukui shrugged remembering all the panic, the people who tried to quit.

Lusamine at her wits end trying to bring order.

_"Quiet!" The room had fallen still, Ash, with hands clenched tightly at his sides stared at them all. His stared burned. Made him feel ashamed. "Here's what we're going to do."_

_Ash stood before them all, Pikachu on his shoulder. Both looking serious. The sight of one boy looking so calm and unafraid seemed to snap some of the more hysterical adults out of hysteria._

_"We're trained. It may not feel like enough, but think of the others out there right now with no training." He gestured to the walls, to the computer showing scenery of Alola._

_"You have more training than they do. It's up to us to protect them. To defend them from attack. We signed up for this task because we each have something that we want to protect."_

* * *

"Ash took charge. Split the squadron into groups and sent them with two ultra Guardians as captains. Then ordered the Guardian deities who had arrived to go with them to their islands. He had us broadcast to the news and radios for everyone to take shelter." Burnet explained with a proud smile.

_Wicke-san, the rest of Alola thinks a tsunami is coming. They are prepared but not for this, get the news station and radios to play a message. Tell them what is going on." Wicke looked to Lusamine who stared Ash down. Ash calmly looked up at her. A young boy, a third of her height was telling her what to do and Burnet knew that would be a point of contention._

_"What do we say?" She was a little surprised that she relented so easily._

_"The truth. They already know what We're doing out there. Let them know this is a larger scale of that, any that can fight should help out but otherwise leave it to us. Don't deny them the right to fight, that will backfire." Ash looked over the squadron then to the Ultra Guardians of which there were seven._

_"I'll take a group of ten with me will go to Poni island. Kiawe and Lillie will go to Akala with a group of thirty. Mallow and Sophocles will remain on Mele Mele with a group of forty. Gladion and Lana will take Ula'Ula island with a group of the remaining twenty."_

"He even had pokémon in the paradise send word to pokémon on the island to help and they listened!" She found it fascinating. Ash had taken charge, organized several groups of people older than him and even rallied the Guardian Deities and pokemon. 

_There was a moment of shocked awe as Ash had rallied the pokemon in Aether to fight. The flying types taking off to inform the other islands. Then stunned silence when all four Guardian Deities arrived. Ash walked up to them, and smiled._

_"You're fighting too right?" They nodded before three Guardians broke off leaving Tapu Koko before Ash._

_He held out his beak and slowly opened it to reveal a z crystal._

_Tapu Lele stood before Kiawe presenting him with a z crystal._

_Tapu Fini stood before Lana presenting her with a z crystal._

_Tapu Bulu stood before Gladion presenting him with a z crystal._

_Then as one they moved. The children following their movements._

_"That's the Guardian Z Moves." Kukui whispered in awe._

"It was thanks to his efficiency that most damage was kept to a minimum and very few people had been injured. Of course they were all exhausted after fighting for nearly an entire day but," Burnet could remember the celebration they had planned.

The excitement as people learned about the z crystals the Guardians had given to four of the children before they had left Aether.

Kukui's eyes shining as he whispered about paintings on walls. Paintings Kahuna Hala had only let him see once.

* * *

"They had arrived. And then we were swarmed from the inside." Kukui looked down, Lance's cast rested on the edge of Kukui's bed, Mew on his lap eyeing him.

"Everyone panicked, except Ash of course." Kukui could remember that moment with crystal clear clarity. 

_"Gigavolt Havoc!" Thunder tore a line straight down the opposing ultra beasts straight into the ultra wormhole. "Back to back! Exeggcute formation!" Ash barked. Months of watching Ash drill formation patterns into the recruits, into the Ultra Guardians had engraved routine into his mind. His back was instantly pressed against Burnet's._

_The Guardian deities were quick to charge and create spaces before gesturing to their chosen ones._

_Z moves performed in synchronicity, giant forms rose from the earth._

_There was a moment of utter stillness. Then the four beings of iridescent light struck. Slapping ultra beasts out of the air. Punching. Kicking._

* * *

"The z moves that couple and Ash used seemed to take their toll on them. How did it affect them in that moment when they had already fought the day away?" Diantha asked softly.

Burnet shut her eyes in pain.

"They didn't even last five minutes. Z moves pull on your energy as well as that of your pokémon. They were _all_ exhausted, the _Guardians_ were exhausted."

_They were winning. They could do this! Burnet order several vulpix to use ice beam, a ninetails used blizzard. Her Munchlax used metronome and a protect rose above them taking the hit of a Buzzwole._

_The beings of luminescent light shattered away into fairy dust._

_The Guardians fell, she searched for the children and found most of them face down. Ash was on his knees panting when a Nihilego descended wrapping its tentacle around Ash's left arm yanking him away from his squad._

_Ash tumbled forward but was saved by someone latching onto his waist, forcefully dragging him down to earth as Lycanroc used stone edge._

"We were instantly overwhelmed." She wept brokenly, tears rolling down her cheeks as everything crashes down around her.

_Again._

* * *

Lance felt his heart clench in pain as Kukui, broken and bitter buries his face in his hands.

"I wanted to protect him. _I just wanted to keep him safe, not this."_ Kukui looked at his hands as if they were alien to him.

"He has nightmares he won't talk about. His smiles are painful to look at some days." Kukui looked at Lance, his eyes haunted. "Pikachu told us _everything._ He's _died."_ Lance winced, that was part of the reason they worried.

Ash seemed so unaffected, but something like that had to take its toll.

"Pikachu said that the world took, and it took, leaving only scars. That one day he was afraid it would take too much and Ash would never smile again." Kukui looked away, eyes shut as he pressed his palms to his eyes.

Tears rolling down the sides of his face as he tilted his chin up.

"Somehow protecting him turned into chaining him to one place. To trying to bring the world to its knees." Kukui laughed, the sound harsh like shattered glass.

* * *

Burnet leaned into Diantha. Shoulders shaking as she clung to the Kalos Champion.

"He was tired! He said was _tired_ of the fighting. But he was _tired_ of _everything_ else too!" She keened, his broken pleas for them to stop fighting tearing at her heart. 

"What did we do?!" she sobbed sick to her stomach with shame and guilt.

_Burnet shoved Kukui aware that she was throwing herself into the arms of the ultra beast, but she couldn't watch Kukui be consumed. She realized her mistake when Kukui twisted on his heel hand latching onto hers with desperation and horror on his face as he was grabbed from behind._

_She was choking. Everything burned._

_Liquid fire filled her veins, ice crystals grew in her lungs. Kukui's hand never released hers as the world began to drown and darken._

_His grip tightened, she returned the grip, till death was their vow._

_She wasn't going to die now._

_**"Hakases!!!"** _

_Her vision cleared, Kukui's hand squeezed hers. She looked around. The world distorted but still visible. Sound traveled slowly, thoughts intruding in her mind. Love._

_Kind and all encompassing filled her as she saw Kukui's relieved smile._ "So it was your will, your heart that beat the ultra beast."

* * *

_Kukui spotted Ash rolling between the legs of a Buzzwole, Pikachu using Iron tail to strike it in the head while Ash kicked out its knees and swiped a hand across his face._

_His hat was gone, not able to keep sweat out of his face which cost him precious time._

_Ash shouldn't be here._

_Shouldn't be fighting like this! Kukui flew forward slamming into a Pheromosa that made to attack Ash. Ash stared up at him wide eyed, Pikachu slamming into him with a spark and falling away as Kukui effortlessly batted away the pokemon attacking him._

_He realized his mistake seconds later when dove between his legs. Kukui whirled around and saw Ash diving for Pikachu, Pikachu weakly holding out a paw as it flew into a Nihilego._

_Ash's cry of terror then rage as he was swept into the arms of Tapu Koko._

"Is that not your Guardian? Why were you angry?" 

_Kukui hated that the deity challenged Ash time and again. Each time after his excitement had faded Ash would sit in silent contemplative moods. Staring into nothing._

_Why did his boarder, his kid, have to suffer._

_"Pikachu!" Ash cried out, Kukui struck down Tapu Koko as Pikachu **rose** from his battle with the Nihilego. _

* * *

"You were connected to one another right?" Diantha gently prodded. Burnet nodded as she took a sip of her water, she set her water down and looked down at the photos on her lap.

_Bodies littered the torn ground._

_Ash was crying._

_He was scared and hurting._

_He looked her in the eyes, looking wise beyond his years as he curled his fingers into her arms and spoke. "I won't leave you, I promise." And then he'd vanished the second she took her eyes off him._

_Her vision tinting green as she eyed the battlefield of ultra beasts trying to harm her sort of child. Rage so alluring, intoxicating, whispered tantalizing secrets of power._

_Her arms flashed silver and she struck hard._

_Any attempting to reach out to Ash were embedded into the floor. Sent flying into other beasts._

_She followed behind her keiki trying to protect him._

_**"RETREAT!!!"** Ash screamed, sliding between the legs of a Pheromosa that slammed Kukui away. She reached forward as Ash paused, movements swidt and fluid as Rowlet arrived at his side. She stopped a Xurkitree with rage._

_An explosion erupted behind her, separating them from enemies and allies alike._

* * *

"Were you not worried for your students?" Kukui swallowed the last bite of his banana. 

"I knew they'd be fine. They were being protected by the Ultra Rangers. The ultra beasts seemed to be targeting Ash specifically." _Flying types took to the air, the Guardian Deities had taken to the air, Tapu Koko between them. All the remained were those unable to find a flying type, Ash stood out among them as he was targeted by the ultra beasts._

_Pikachu struck them down and Kukui was privy to their conversation as he moved closer. Pikachu drew closer but it was Burnet who spoke to Ash._

_Ash was standing in the lake, swiping his thumb across his chin as he surveyed his surrounds, idly flicking his fingers._

_Ash looked to the humans and pokemon being corralled to the center, eyes haunted as he made a promise._

_He looked Pikachu in the eyes as Pikachu tried telling Ash he would protect him, the rest wasn't understandable._

_Ash shook his head, eyes wet._

_"No Pikachu. I choose **you.** I choose **you** over the **world** this time." The lake rippling, Giratina's name being called, Ash tipping over backwards with a peaceful smile that had calmed Kukui's nerves yesterday. _

_Reaching for Ash who was falling towards the legendary Giratina and then missing._

"What lead to taking over Aether?" _Pikachu expressed his anger over the legendary Pokemon, asking if they hadn't taken enough, then lashing out at several Nihilego as they deposited the empty broken shells and made to consume more._

_As they had tried to do Ash and Kukui wanted them to stop._

_They did._

"How did you get them to stop?" Queried Lance, hand stilling on Mew's back. Mew gazed knowingly at him.

_Kukui shrugged off the strangeness of the situation and glanced around Aether, then towards the water sharing a look with Burnet. They had both come upon the same idea to take control of Aether, build it up to be a fortress._

_Some place that Ash would find safe. Would be protected._

_Lusamine had opposed of course, wanting the ultra beast to remain as they were._

_Kukui had attacked her pokemon, he didn't know how but he was able to use some pokémon moves._

_He'd somehow forced her to submit._

* * *

Burnet felt as if all she was doing lately was crying.

_Pikachu called them off trying to look for Ash stating that Ash would return to them and he wasn't in Alola anymore. Then they tried looking up Ash's trainer information only to find so much red tape, under the red tape most of his information was redacted._

_Then Pikachu went on to tell them everything._

"Everything, everything?" Burnet nodded. _How Ash had died. How he fought and bled and suffered protecting legendary pokemon._

_Hurt and abused pokémon. Brought down people trying to end the world._

_How the world took._

_And it **took.** _

_And it **took.**_

_Leaving his trainer with pain and scars._

_With tears and fears._

~~_Nothing but the weary senses of the inevitable so close yet so far and never permanent._ ~~

_The very real fear Pikachu carried that the bright smile and eyes full of life and love and joy would one day stare blanky at the world unmoved._

_That the bright smile full of warmth would never grace his trainer's face again._

_Somehow the urge to protect twisted from trying to shelter Ash to bringing the world to heel so that Pikachu's fear remained a fear and not reality._

* * *

"Take your time." Kukui looked at Lance, nothing like the cold, unmoved champion he had met years ago. He looked _tired,_ just as Ash had. Exhausted but moving because there was no choice.

It almost made sense, why Lance appeared so cold.

~~Would that happen to Ash one day?~~

_Stone edge coated the outer perimeter of the Aether foundation, and with help from several others they were able to turn the rocks into crystals harder than diamond. The paradise was repaired with the help of pokemon and soon it appeared that nothing had ever happened._

_Then came the news of an attack being mounted on them. It was infuriating, especially when they spotted the legendaries, legendaries that Pikachu had told them not too long ago had hurt Ash. _

_Some leaving scars so deep they hurt even today._

_Pikachu especially loathed Kyogre, zapdos and moltres._ "I'm... aware of Pikachu's feelings... I get voicemails every few months." Lance sighed rubbing his face with a tired expression.

_They were able to feel eachother's emotions. It created a loop._

_Not a good one, negativity bred negativity. None of them were capable of calming down, not with this much rage between them._

_How his vision tinted blue and the rage became alluring, tantalizingly teasing him with secrets of power. Kukui was able to use rock throw._

_Somehow he was able to use pokemon attacks but hadn't questioned it._

_He'd taken down two of the legendary weather trio, with Lugia raging. Pikachu had taken down the legendary with pure spite._

_Seeing Champion Lance and his feelings of anger and disappointment from years ago rising within him. Champion Lance trying to reason with him but seeing the legendary that had put Ash in danger did nothing to calm him._

_The wave and regret Pikachu felt at Champion Lance's words. The denial and rage building._

**_A collective of minds with the singular goal to protect quickly taking over._ **

* * *

_Ash stood before her._

_Arms outstretched as he stood before Entei, her arm inches from his face but he hadn't flinched._

_He looked her dead in the eye, head turning from side to side with the slightest movement. She quickly backpedaled, rage morphing to terror at the thought of almost harming her keiki. He bit his lip, glaring at her with wet eyes even as his breathing hitches with the start of a sob._

_He stood before her._

_Tall despite the pain his was in._

_Despite exhaustion._

_"This has to stop. Now." He dropped his arms and moved closer, halting a foot away as he looked up at with defeat._

_ "Please." He begs softly looking so much like the frightened child he was. His arms coming up to wrap around his waist in a self embrace that tore at her heart. Kukui was behind her as she somehow had the squadron return to the paradise._

Burnet looked up at Diantha's expression. 

"He told us; 'No more fighting. _I'm tired',_ but he wasn't just tired of the fighting!" She bit her lip, Diantha had tears streaming down her cheeks as she grabbed hold of Burnet's hand.

"It isn't the first time he's said that." She whispers, voice cracking. _Ash flinched away from them. Followed them in despite the shouting for him to get away._

_Ash followed them with slumped shoulders and a limp._

_He allowed them to hug him, then was pulled away from them. When they reached for him, he stared up at them, crouching before he jumped and then they were in a bubble._

_Then a world of **nightmares.**_

_Viewing a world that was cold, colorless and empty._

_Ash stared at the world with blank eyes, expression empty._

_Surrounded by his pokémon but sitting in front a stone._

_For all that he was surrounded by the pokemon he loved, he never seemed so **alone.** _

_So ~~breakable.~~_

* * *

"Darkrai has been known to give prophetic visions alongside the nightmares it gives..." Lance hesitantly voiced, eyes shut. A tear ran down his cheek, recrimination plainly across his face.

Kukui looked away, they had almost done the unforgivable.

Luckily Ash was so recklessly loyal to his pokémon. Especially Pikachu.

_The next Kukui knew, Pikachu was spitting mad, Ash was panicking as a large pokémon towered over him. They both tried to protect him, Kukui by attacking and Burnet by defending but they found that they couldn't move._

_And then they spent a few minutes being prodded by Mew._

Kukui peered at Mew, Lance shrugged.

_They were free and Kukui saw Ash using a z move he'd briefly seen the yesterday, day before?_

_Ash performed an axe kick beautifully._

_His form and stance perfect as he slammed Pikachu into the ground via Tapu Koko._

* * *

"Then what happened." Burnet could feel dread curling in her chest. _She and Kukui stood back to back as they somehow fired hyperbeams at Tapu Koko. Ash was being enclosed in a stone edge circle, but he did a spin kick._

 _It was straight out of movie! Not so fun when she was on the end of it though._ Burnet looked up when Diantha giggled.

She smiled, though it fell with the realization of what was coming.

_There was a disorienting moment as Kukui and Burnet caught sight of each other and pressed their hands against the membrane they were trapped in._

_But the moment faded with Ash's agonized cry._

_**"PIKACHU!!!!!"** His cry practically silencing the battle field as all sides looked over towards the Kantonese trainer and his starter. Ash was on his knees, half curled over his starter, looking lost and alone even as another pokémon shimmered into view._

_Kukui and Burnet rocketed forward, wanting to comfort their keiki. Several others had launched forward regardless of their side but they had been stopped by the djinn legendary._

_It was in tears. Arms outstretched as it glared angrily._

_"STAY AWAY!" Ash screamed curling further over Pikachu. **"YOU'VE** DONE **ENOUGH!** JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!" He raged angrily despite the sobs racking his frame. It tore at Kukui's heart to see what they'd done._

_It tore at Burnet's heart to see the end result of their actions. To see that in their effort to create a world that Ash would feel safe in they had taken away the one being in the whole world that he had chosen._

_That had chosen him in turn._

_"Pikachu!" His wails were agonizing to listen to. Worse to see him completely fall apart as he cradled his partner ever so gently in his arms and jostled him with the greatest care. _

_As if he could rouse him._

_His denial at the truth staring them all in the face._

_It hurt more than the liquid fire in the veins._

_Even more heartbreaking was the small legendary crying hysterically as it tried to do something to Pikachu but nothing happened._

_The legendary shaking Ash's shoulder as if trying to get him to wake Pikachu._

Burnet looked down at her hands. What had she become? When had her urge to protect become so twisted? Diantha squeezed her hands.

* * *

Kukui looked down at his hands. What had he become? When had his urge to protect become so twisted? Lance leaned forward and squeezed Kukui's calf.

_Then they watched in shock as Aura sparked wildly. Lashing out, uncontrolled. Slowly forming a perfecr sphere, rings lashing out wildly still._

_And attack on them by the man who made his Keiki so tense just by hearing his voice._

_Protecting Burnet, watching as she rocketed forward to catch their keiki when he collapsed. Eyes at half mast, breathing with Pikachu on his chest passed out._

_Pain._

_Cherished memories._

_Seeing his family all unconscious._

_Relief._

_Darkness._

* * *

Hoopa frowned, Ashkan's friend was asleep in his corner, Mew on his lap. Hoopa created a ring, wincing when Ashkan's pokemon stared at him. "Hoopa made a promise, it will be fast." Hoopa guiltily eyed the door then dropped the ring down over the bed.

All the legendaries gathered around in the reverse world took a look at Ashkan before departing. Hoopa had promised them that he would bring Ashkan to the reverse world to check on him. Briefly, no one wanted to cause the reverse world to warp from so many presences gathered in one location.

Hoopa nodded to the Mewtwo who followed them back to the hospital where no one was aware of Hoopa's deed.

" _ **Sleep, I will take watch now."** _Mewtwo stated floating upwards so that he was directly above the bed. Mew waking and joining him with a soft greeting.

"Pikapi?" Hoopa shushed Pikan and snuggled down beside Ashkan and Victini. Victini looking worriedly at Ashkan, paws stuffed into a baby mitten for the hatchling humans.

"Vikan didn't do this to Ashkan." Victini stubbornly kept its paws in the glove and burrowed into Ashkan's collar.

* * *

Lance jolted awake. He warily eyed his surroundings and counted the pokémon. He was surprised at the sight of Mewtwo but shrugged it off as he tried to figure out what had woken him.

Soft panting caught his attention as he sat up fully. His wheelchair nudged him, he pushed it aside and hobbled over to Ash's side with a sense of dread building.

"Ash?" He called but the young teen didn't react aside from panting softly. Lance reached forward, fingers resting upon the teen's forehead. He was burning up.

"Someone hit the lights." He ordered, hand hitting the call nurse button as the lights flickered to life. Ash's face was flushed, sweat clinging to his brow as he gasped.

Victini had jumped away looking glassy eyed, staring at its gloved paws in betrayal.

"You didn't do this." Lance told the legendary, wearily, unsure of how to reassure the pokémon that it was not the cause for Ash's current state. 

Nothing anyone said could calm it. None of them could understand why it was so afraid. Why it felt so guilty.

"We'll get through this." He stated, voice hollow as a wet towel was lowered onto Ash's forehead.

Lance thanked the psychic type that had thoughtfully read his mind and gently began the arduous task of trying to get Ash's pokemon to leave the bed. 

He had just moved the Lycanroc off when the door open a harrassed nurse moved him aside. Her hair a mess, dark circles under her eyes.

Lance sighed, Hoopa giggled guiltily.

"He has a high fever. Did he show any signs of a fever earlier?" Lance thought back to the night before then to the afternoon. Kukui and Burnet had come for their daily five minute visit.

Nothing had changed. 

"No. Nothing." The nurse sighed as she took the chart clipped to the end of the bed and made some notations. 

"Alright, I'll be back with some new antibiotics. As a precaution no more visitation from the other patients. And you three Champions will also need to take a round of antibiotics." Lance very strongly contained the whine that threatened to spill out if his lips until the nurse stepped into Hoopa's portal.

He sat down on the edge of Ash's bed and glanced at him.

"I never had to take this much medication or get this many shots back in Kanto." Ash remained still, aside from the rapid breaths he took. Pikachu tiredly licked Ash's hand and pointed at Lance. White gray eyes full of blame.

Lance shot him an offended look, palm pointed at his chest. Pikachu nodded.

"Ok. I informed the doctor, requested the antibiotics for everyone and restricted the visitations." the nurse swiftly attached a new IV to the stand, slid a needle into the crook of Ash's elbow flinching back when Pikachu sparked.

"Please stop threatening the nurses, they're only doing there job." Lance complained softly. Pikachu huffed and licked Ash's latest puncture wound. 

"Arceus, if you're listening... I'll be waiting... _here."_ Mewtwo shot him an unimpressed look. _**"Wimp."**_

Great. Lance accepted the pill bottle and watched the nurse storm off, shooting a glare Hoopa's way. Can one overdose on antibiotics?

The bottle floated out of reach.

 _O_ _f course, lovely._

"I guess I'll stay up." Lance blinked as hevwas set down on his bed. _**"Sleep. I will watch over Ash."** _Lance looked at the clock and shut his eyes to sleep for another three hours. He had to get up early anyways.

* * *

_~~It was hot, and he still felt so tired. There was a presence. Above him. It seemed to be calm, no longer conflicted and hurting.~~ _

_~~Good.~~ _

_**"You are too kind."** ~~A voice echoed. It was fond.~~_

_~~It sounded nice this way.~~ _

* * *

Mewtwo smiled, Ash was still so kind. Even after facing countless atrocities he had not lost that light. He was truly a rare individual.

Pikachu looked up at him, eyes no longer a warm.brown but an eerie white gray, pointed at its temple then to Ash's. Mewtwo gave a nod and floated closer touching his paw to both trainer and friend.

 _ **"Pikapi, I'm sorry. I'll be here waiting. No matter how long it takes, I'll be here. Take all the time you need."**_ Pikachu fell silent, Mewtwo scanned Ash's consciousness but found that he had fallen asleep again.

He released his hold and changed out the towel with a fresher one. Ash's flushed face turned to follow his paw, he rested his hand on Ash's cheek and he stilled. Mewtwo removed his hand and plucked the small invisible legendary Victini, out of the air and set it down beside Ash, his cheek coming to rest on the legendary's lap.

 _ **"You did nothing wrong. The injuries he had, his state, and the draining of his aura accumulated into this current state."** _Mewtwo gently explained, aware of the stray thoughts Ash had regarding this legendary. 

"Tini!tinitinivic!" It protested tearfully holding its gloved paws to its chest. _**"Be that as it may, there were no other choices. Ash had depleted his energy reserve and would not have been able to keep fighting if you had not provided him with energy. Humans have a hormone in their body called adrenaline, it can do amazing things but the cost is not equal to what they receive. Ash had been running on adrenaline fir two and a half days. His body was already crashing before you had given strength to him. You were the only thing keeping him going. Your strength kept his body from failing even as he forcefully used his aura."**_ Victini tearfully nodded, glancing at him then Ash before removing its glove.

It placed a paw to Ash's cheek and breathed a sigh of relief when nothing bad happened.

Mewtwo returned to floating on the ceiling, Mew opted to return to the Kanto Champion's side. Mewtwo watched them all sleep.

All of them. Human, pokémon, legendary. _Moved by one boy._ A trainer who fought with his heart.

Who spread kindness and nurtured those who had been wronged.

Defending with his whole body.

Righting wrongs committed against pokémon because it was the right thing to do.

~~His love was like fire, all consuming. Leaving ashes in its wake, making way for new life to spring forth. Life remade new, forged in fire and that much stronger.~~

"Morning." Mewtwo turned to see the Champion tiredly drop into his wheelchair and roll forward, depositing Mew onto Ash's bed with a fond pat. "Cynthia should stop by in a few minutes, I'll be on calls for the next hour. Let me know if you need anything. "

Mewtwo gave the man a push and sent him on his way. He refreshed the towel again and watched Victini curl closer. Pikachu tiredly opened his eyes, reflecting the morning light and smiled at Mewtwo, patting Ash's hand a few times before rising up to check on his companions.

All responding positively before turning their attention to Ash with silent hope. 

_**"He is thinking of you in his dreams."**_ Mewtwo supplied, the small family perking up as they shouted good morning. Ash's hand twitched, moving up in a short wave before falling still across his chest. 

Excitement spread across them waking the others who saw their enthusiasm and joined in.

"Why the excitement?" The Sinnoh Champion queries as she steps into the room with a cart of food. The food was passed out as Mewtwo settled for floating beside the bed.

 ** _"Ash waved after everyone bid him a good morning."_ **the Champion promptly choked on her drink. She coughed roughly, tossing her cup aside as she moved to the bed.

"Satoshi?!" She called, hands grabbing onto the hand lying across his chest. He didn't move, asleep once more.

Though this sleep didn't to be as deep as the one from two weeks ago. It seemed he would be waking within the next few days.

"Rest well Satoshi." She whispered smiling as she set his hand back on his chest. She stood and watched him for the next ten minutes. Barely moving a muscle as Mewtwo changed the towels. 

A nurse arrived to check his temperature, change his fluids and made sure he had developed no sores from lying in bed.

All was silent.

Peaceful. 

Hopeful.


	10. I'll Be With You When You Dream, Here In My Arms Safe From All Harm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash was dreaming. This he knew to be a fact. That didn't mean he was unaware, he just couldn't wake up.  
> Presences he recognized were near him at all times, some coming and going but never for long. He could feel so much.  
> It made him more exhausted and soon he began to feel too warm. But that was okay, he thinks it means he will wake up soon.  
> Soon he can see his pokémon.  
> See his friends.  
> See all the people that he had failed.  
> See Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase.  
> He would see Pikachu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: river lullaby- amy grant

"Ashkan, time to eat!" Mewtwo watched as the bed was raised and soup was floated down his open mouth by Mew. The Champion didn't seem surprised but was staring intently at Mew.

 _All_ the Pokemon were.

Mewtwo could actually guess why. Even Mew seemed to be concentrating on this task, but Mewtwo knew Mew had a short attention span. He idly wondered if he should rake over when the bowl was finally empty.

Everyone heaved a relieved sigh, Mew included.

"Would it not be easier to use one of your human machines to feed him?" the Champion blinked then stared at the pokemon. 

"We had but after the third day, the pokémon protested, some more than others." She said tone biting. A bird pokemon fluffed its feather and glared.

Hoopa frowned.

Victini shot her a teary look.

"Mew is the one who volunteered to feed Satoshi, but there were a few... mishaps in the beginning. " The Champion seemed to become weighed down as her eyebrow twitched. He could see that happening.

Ash was left sitting up, the curtains and window wide open to allow the sun and a breeze in. Mewtwo looked at the pokemon calmly talking with one another, most already healed with minor bruising left behind.

The Champion was reclined on a bed by the window staring at the ocean in the distance. The gentle breeze passing through long hair. Sadness touched her soul.

"Satoshi's many traveling companions have arrived in Alola, his mother opted to wait for him to awaken." She spoke quietly as if wanting to avoid Ash hearing, Mewtwo respected her wish and made it so that Ash could not hear their voices but could still hear everything else. _ **"He can not hear us now."** S_he looked at him then faced the window, he peered outside and spotted two familiar people.

Misty and Brock.

They were staring up at them from the cafe they were sitting at.

"They are aware that he is here, and of his condition as they've spoken to his mother." She went back into a reclining position and crossed her arms above her belly. "Humans are foolish, feeling guilt for things out of their control." She muttered.

He agreed glancing back at Ash dreaming of going to school, having battles and returning home to a man and woman with kind eyes and brighter smiles.

The dreams were full of pokemon. Friends, family. Some long gone on their own journeys but fondly remembered. 

A.small house with a red roof. A woman with the same kind eyes as Ash, smiling at him.

Pikachu.

Pikachu laughing. Sleeping. 

Eating.

Playing.

_"Pikapi!"_

Ash smiled, fingers curling around Pikachu's paw. Pikachu glanced down and smiled.

* * *

Diantha peered at Satoshi's flushed face with worry blossoming in her chest. She knows that all the patients were immunocompromised and some had gotten sick already.

None to this extent.

This burning fever sprung forth out of nowhere. 

"Pikapi chuchupi." Pikachu waved at her pointing at Satoshi then pointing to Mewtwo. Guilt burned in her chest at the gray on white of his eyes. So vastly different from his warm brown eyes.

~~How would Satoshi take it?~~

~~Would it break his heart even more than losing Pikachu?~~

~~Seeing a permanent reminder staring him in the face like this?~~

"This is you telling me not to worry isn't it? That Mewtwo will let us know if something is wrong." Pikachu nodded then curled into Satoshi's side and quietly spoke to his fellow pokémon.

Diantha peered out the window to see a new group had taken over at the cafe. The Kalos gym leader Clemont and a young upcoming coordinator from Hoenn that had taken the world by storm a few years back.

She caught sight of something rapidly approaching and readied her pokeball only to relax as she realized it was the Guardian Deity Tapu Koko. The Guardian had practically vanished after showing up at the council.

She moved aside as the deity entered the room. Greeting the pokémon within and making its way to the bed prodding Satoshi's forehead with its closed mouth. It was a parody of a kiss.

It was actually pretty sweet.

It set something down on his head then floated off.

She glanced back and sat Satoshi's battered hat resting on the pillow.

"We should probably wash that." She mumbled as she removed the hat and deposited it into the sink eyeing her bound arm with frustration. She couldn't wait to have this thing removed.

It was undignifying to ask for help for every little thing. She decided to soak the cap for now and scrub it later.

She returned to Satoshi's side and realized in the midst of her contemptuous thoughts another deity had arrived. This one she believed was called Tapu Bulu. And it appeared to simply be asleep.

She wishes she were surprised that a legendary or mythical had sinply come to sleep in Satoshi's room but there had been nightly occurrences of random legendary or mythicals showing up.

Sometimes both. The only ones to not leave were Hoopa, Victini, Mew, Darkrai and Mewtwo.

Occasionally Giratina showed up. The Alolan people no longer ran for their lives in fear at the sight of the legendary floating beside the hospital. 

"Please tell me no more of you will be showing up today. The staff are at their wits end trying to worship and keep the hospital running." Tapu Bulu opened an eye and lazily shrugged a shoulder tossing a paper at her.

 _'To whichever Champion is currently is the trouble magnet's room. I tried.'_ Diantha crumpled the note into her fist feeling her anger rise.

She let out a slow breath and counted to ten.

**Nanu.**

_**"I see that human continues to effortlessly rile the three of you up."**_ She turned her glare to Mewtwo. He tilted his head, tail lazily flicking behind him.

He seemed to perk up as a hand rested on his hind paw when he floated closer to Satoshi.

Diantha carefully and with force, kept her expression neutral. She was _better_ than Lance. She would not rise to the baiting.

"Yes, well. It seems he has nothing better to do." She shoved the note into the trash without a second thought. She resumed her previous position on Lance's bed and wheeled his mini desk to her side. She began sorting through the paperwork Hoopa had _kindly_ retrieved from her home after declaring it had enough of their **moping.**

There had been no moping!

Lance's despair as he prayed to every deity and legend available had always been something the others made fun.

Something to poke fun at. Relieve stress by.

But in the moment, with stacks and stacks of the paper.

Cynthia and Diantha had _joined_ him in his prayers.

Nevermore did she identify with the man until that day. Now, not even a third of the way into her workload and she was tempted to once again pray. Not that she would be answered.

The closest Lance had ever come to having his is prayers answered was the day he laughed at Champion Alder and wished him luck with Satoshi only to curse a blue streak when both Satoshi and Pikachu had been struck down by a legendary.

It was then that they realized any prayers hinted at Satoshi would end badly. No matter the good intent.

Hence Lance's 'famous' prayers asking to be smited.

By various legendaries. Mostly the ones in regions that Satoshi resided in.

"As always, let me know of any changes." Diantha called out to the room receiving various calls of agreement.

* * *

Cynthia took one look at Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele, glanced out the window to see Giratina, further down she could see the top coordinator of Sinnoh, and the Unovan Dragon type specialist Iris. She said nothing, turning to look Satoshi over. Victini and Hoopa offering her a wave, Pikachu chirping at the head scratch.

"Take all the time you need Satoshi. You have plenty of friends willing to wait." She squeezed his hand and made to let go when the squeeze was lightly returned.

She smiled to herself and took over Lance's bed. Any day now. Recovery was going smoothly for everyone. 

Some were even set to be released tonight. It was a relief all around Alola as families were alerted. The whole region seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and life was slowly picking back up.

The region was recovering.

* * *

Lance chewed his pen cap as he reclined on a lawn chair moved into Ash's room.

Diantha was scribbling away in the corner and Cynthia had taken over his bed.

The Sinnoh mythicals had already dropped by earlier that morning with the Unovan mythicals having just left. Many of the larger legendary had taken to popping by the window to check, at night so that no more attention would be drawn to this specific room. 

"Tini! Tinitinitini!" Lance looked up to see the various pokémon spread out on Ash's bed playing cards with a large pile of berries piled around Ash.

Victini was angrily pointing at Hoopa, the djinn mythical laughing into its cards. 

"Hoopa didn't cheat." Hoopa snickered then paused as it tilted its head. All the pokemon paused, peering at the window. The champions turned to see who would be joining them and saw Celebi and Latias. They waved and space was made for them to join.

"Pikachu do you have any threes?" Pikachu waved a paw, a card was floated off the deck resting on Ash's chest and added to the floating hand Mewtwo had before him. A new towel draped over Ash's forehead as everyone peered at the sleeping teenager. His own hand clutching onto a few cards.

It was cute how they included Ash.

Lance returned back to his paperwork with a frustrated look as he became aware of the new Kanto league starting soon. He'd have to do inspections within the next week but he couldn't leave just yet.

Maybe Agatha could do the inspections? 

No. She'd beat him with her staff for even entertaining the thought.

"It's Ashkan's turn!" Lance tuned out the pokémon, used to them taking turns to peek at Ash's cards as his 'voice' and some of them cheating because of it.

"Pika...chu.... eights?" 

"Pika." Some shifting, then the room exploded into noise.

Lance drew a line straight across league documents and fell out of his chair.

Cynthia was choking in the background, habing just takem a sip of her juice.

Diantha had beaten them all to Ash's side despite Lance being closest.

Ash looked confused, tired, and faintly annoyed. 

"How do you feel?" Ash blinked slowly, covered in pokemon. He gazed at the ceiling.

"Meh." He huffed petting and patting the pokemon burrowing into his sides. 

He looked happy. Smile small and soft. 

Lance hit the call nurse button and decided to leave the pokémon be, he wouldn't be able to pry them off Ash even if he tried. Lance wiped a hand across his cheeks then used his sleeve to clear his eyes.

Everything was okay now, no use shedding tears.

Cynthia and Diantha felt the same, lightly drying their tears but smiling all the same.

"Giratina!" Cynthia panicked scrambling for the window and shutting it. She fogged up the window then knocked quickly wiping the fog clear and steppping back as Giratina's reflection showed up.

It gave a happy cry and vanished only to reappear outside the window with a happy rumble. 

"Giratina?" Ash's smile grew a little as he offered a wave. The door opened behind Lance and he flinched at the throat clearing.

He lowered himself back onto his chair with pout as he folded his arms over his chest.

Diantha huffed and limped back to her chair while Cynthia half heartedly tried to shoo the pokemon on the bed.

Ash protested hugging all that he could reach. Throwing his foot out to rest it on Darkrai's tail whisp.

"My family." Ash muttered something else but no one could make it out as Victini hugged Ash's face. The doctor sighed.

He looked to the ceiling then to three Guardian deities in the room.

"No use praying to you is there." The three waved. The doctor pinched the bridge of his nose.

"For the love of Koko. I'm about to commit blasphemy." Lance felt for the guy. He did.

Honestly! That didn't stop him from snickering as the doctor began forcefully moving the pokemon to gain access to Ash.

They feel his pain at last. All was right in the world. He had been avenged.

"How are you feeling Mr. Ketchum. And use words this time." The doctor lectured. Right.

He forgot this doctor had seen Ash a few times before when Kukui brought him to the hospital a couple times. 

"Mrgh." The doctor stared, Ash hugged Pikachu, Victini, Hoopa and Mew to his chest as he scowled. He huffed then looked at his the pokemon in his arms.

"I dunno. Tired?" He shrugged. The doctor stared some more but when Ash said nothing else he nodded.

"Do you feel any pain. Soreness. Any lingering aches?" Ash shrugged, looking to his side then upwards.

"Thanks... ya know... for helping." He said.

 _ **"We are friends. And friends help eachother."** _Mewtwo said, Ash looked up then smiled widely, tears in his eyes.

"You're right!" He laughed rubbing his finger under his eyes.

* * *

Cynthia watched Ash reluctantly release the pokémon in his hold and sit up. Hand coming to rest on his forehead for a few seconds before allowing the doctor to look him over.

He wasn't very cooperative with answering questions though, the doctor seemed to think it was because they were in the room and pronptly kicked them out. 

"I'll go ahead and inform Kukui and Burnet that Satoshi is awake." She said after Lance muttered that he'd phone the mother and then wheeled himself down the hall.

Kukui and Burnet were sharing a room now which made it easier to inform the of the news.

"How is he?" They asked, tears of relief in their eyes.

Cynthia didn't hesitate and lied.

"He's doing well. The doctor's giving him a check up." They shared grins of joy as she left. Cynthia stood in the hall, hands clenched tightly.

_**He said he was tired.** _

She grit her teeth and slammed her fist into the wall. Pikachu said _'The world took._

_And it **took.** _

_And it **took.**_

_Leaving his trainer with pain and scars. With tears and fears._

_~~Nothing but the weary senses of the inevitable so close yet so far and never permanent.~~ '_ Ash's smile soft as he hugged the pokémon close. Burnet's words echoed in her mind as if she were listening to the recording. 

_'The very real fear Pikachu carried that the bright smile and eyes full of life and love and joy would one day stare blanky at the world unmoved. That the bright smile full of warmth would never grace his trainer's face again.'_

When would enough be _enough?_ When would Satoshi get **peace?**

They could all see that he was **tired** of the _fighting._

* * *

Ash blinked, willing the spots in his vision would clear up. The world swayed beneath him but he held perfectly still as the doctor made him breathe in and out.

Checked his temperature.

Messed with the various bits of machinery attached to him. He held still and smiled when his pokémon worriedly watched him.

Mentally pleading for Mewtwo's silence.

The legendary only agreeing because of the memory of Cameroon castle Ash showed him. Human medicine could not help him, only time could.

He would be _fine._

_Like always._

"Well, it looks like you're going to make a full recovery. But since you're still sick you won't be allowed any visitors aside from the ones that have been here." Ash perked up.

"And everyone else is okay? Kukui-hakase and Burnet-hakase?" The doctor smiled, Ash's heart fell, he knew that smile.

"Everyone is fine. We released over dozen people within the last two days." He was **lying.** _**"Some humans could not handle the stress and passed. Others passed due to illness, everyone saved had the immune system of newborns, you are not to blame."**_ Ash smiled gratefully at Mewtwo for telling him the truth.

"Kukui and Burnet are recovering slowly. And once your fever subsides they can come for a visit." Ash nodded, thanking the doctor as he left. Diantha stepped into the room and smiled at him.

"We're glad you're awake." Ash smiled, then turned his attention to the pokémon that clambered back onto his bed.

He saw Pikachu, his heart throbbed at the aight of his partner's smile. He didn't hesitate and pulled him into his arms. Hugging him.

Pikachu hugged him back.

All was right in the world. Pikachu's looks mattered very little. All he cared about was the fact that he was alive.

"Pikapi." Pikachu smiled, eyes shimmering like pearls. Ash laughed softly, thumb brushing away the tears.

"Good to see you buddy."

"Also, Hoopa you did cheat." Victini tackled Hoopa off the bed and beat tiny paws into Hoopa's head.

Hoopa laughed as he took the beating.

"Go fish?" Ash asked as he gathered the cards into a pile. Diantha nodded and then Mewtwo shuffled the deck and dealt the cards.


	11. This Bond Between Us Can't Be Broken I Will Be Here Don't You Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash finally reunites with Kukui and Burnet. And quickly falls apart.
> 
> Lance ponders his clans status as chosen vs Ash's status as The Chosen One.
> 
> Lance reunites with the love of his life. Only to tell her bad news. The frigid tension between them only grows strongers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: you'll be in my heart- Phil Collins  
> So some info:  
> On a discord I'm part there was some discussion that trainers had to be sponsored to enter Galar. Thst battling is big in Galar, that there would ve an Ash fan club.  
> I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it holds true here.  
> Trainers also can be recommended to go into another region. The only reason Ash went to other regions was because of Professor Oak. And he only went to Kalos because of Alexa.

"No way! I know you have a two!" Ash pointed at Pikachu who flicked his tail dismissively. "I call Tauros!" Ash was not going to lose Tauros go fish.

Pikachu lied 99.9 percent of the time!

  
Ash shushed Pikachu, Hoopa snickered behind him, Lycanroc was carrying Mew, Rowlet, Torracat, and let Ash lean on him.

Tapu Koko, Lele, Bulu and Fini would not stop drifting into view but luckily the hospital staff had gotten used to them and paid them no mind aside from offering a prayer.

Mewtwo was leveling an unimpressed glare his way, Darkrai beside him, also seemingly unimpressed with Ash's need to sneak out.

 _Well too bad._

Victini was honestly the stealthiest one of them all. The small legendary was invisible as it stuck to Ash's head.

There wouldn't need to be any sneaking it Hoopa hadn't gotten banned from teleporting people.

  
"They are up ahead, a nurse is in the room." Ash nodded and sat down to wait for the nurse to leave. He leaned tiredly against Lycanroc's flank and wiped his forehead, resting his arm on his forehead with a frown.

Still warm but thankfully his fever had gone down a lot.

  
"They have left the room." Ash was startled from his light doze. He shook his head, absently holding his head when his vision swam.

He breathed deeply and then rose to his feet to make his way down the hall. _**"Someone is coming down the hall."** _Ash put on a burst of speed and slammed into the door, forcing it open as his pokemon and the legendaries quickly slipped into the room he shut the door and put his back to the door shooting Mewtwo a look who nodded once.

Ash collapsed boneless against the door with a sigh of relief.

  
"Ash."

  
Ash looked up and wasn't prepared for the feelings of losing the ability to breathe.

Wasn't prepared for the hurt. And the fear.

  
He wasn't prepared for everything to catch up to him now. It usually took four days, he'd only been up for two.

His eyes grew wet. And a tear rolled down his cheek without his permission. 

  
Sobs broke past his lips as tears blurred his vision.

His legs gave out and he reached for Pikachu. For his tether and clung tightly as everything crashed down around him.

Fear, worry, guilt, sorrow. Helplessness and rage. They were okay. He thought he would lose them.

Like he'd _lost_ Pikachu.

**_And it wasn't fair._ **  
**_None of this was fair!_ **

* * *

Kukui paused, Burnet catching his pause glanced at him in confusion before she too heard it.

The sounds of claws clicking, they almost missed the sounds of feet running. It almost seemed as if the runner was trying not to be heard.

Then something crashed into the door, the door practically flying open and Ash twisted into the room with a herd of various pokemon. He slammed the door closed, though even admist his panic he made sure it didn't make a sound as he pressed his back to the door eyes on the Mew like pokemon floating before him. It nodded and he collapsed boneless against the door.

  
"Ash." Kukui called out.

Ash looked up, staring blankly at him, eyes slowly welling with tears.

An instant later tears rolling down his cheeks as he stopped breathing. A look of anguish sat on his face as a sob escaped him.

There was a second of silence all around before his knees gave and he dropped to the floor sobbing hysterically and reaching blindly at the floor.

  
Pikachu bounded forward, Ash's arms closing around him like a band as he was gathered into Ash's arms. Ash sobbed into the mouse's head. Pikachu chirping and petting his cheeks, nuzzling his chin. 

  
Tears filled Kukui's eyes as Ash's sobs tore through his heart. He threw the blanket off his lap and collided with Burnet as they tried to reach Ash. They shared a look and stood up before reaching Ash and gathering him into their arms.

He kept repeating something.

It took a few tries to understand but when they heard they began to shed even more tears.

_It wasn't fair._

* * *

Burnet felt as if her heart were breaking all over again. She rubbed her cheek into Ash's hair, holding him to her chest. He sobbed into Pikachu's head, limp against her side.

Willing his hurt away, willing to take it all to herself to save him from this pain.

She didn't know what to day to make him feel better. Didn't know if she even could say anything.

Watching Ash stare at them blankly, tears suddenly dripping down his cheeks as he leaned against the door.

Watching his expression slowly crumple before the first sob. All of it hit her hard.

  
Kukui had his arms around them, whispering nonsense words as keen wails were abruptly silenced and trapped behind bitten lips met their ears.

Pikachu chirping, a sound never before heard in their species, as he tried to soothe Ash. Pleadingly calling his name, wiping away tears even as Pikachu began to cry.

Her heart shattered as she looked into Pikachu's eyes. Eyes that had been a warm brown, were now white and gray. His eyes looked like pearls with tears in them. Reflecting the colors around.

_**What had they done?!** _

The pokemon watched on in silence, crowded close and in tears. "I lost you!" Ash choked out.

Sobbing harder as he found his voice.

  
"I _lost_ you!!" His fingers grabbing onto their shirts, not once loosening his grip on Pikachu.

  
"It _hurt."_ He whined falling limply into Burnet, each sob striking harder then the last.  
"We're here. We're all here." Kukui whispered tearfully pressing a kiss to Ash's temple. The anguish in his eyes hurt. His eyes a warm dark brown were now the color of whiskey. She could see the tips of his hair were a dark color. Mirroring the light green at the ends of her hair.

They'd been irrevocably changed.

All of them.

* * *

Kukui looked into Burnet's eyes. Her eyes tormented shining like pools of liquid gold looked to him with a question he could not answer. 

  
Did they even have the right to comfort Ash? Pikachu looked to them tearfully.

Pleading for them do something.

_Anything._

  
Kukui shifted, bring both Burnet and Ash into his lap and brought his head to rest on Burnet's. He began humming. Softly, hesitantly at first, his sobbing not making the sound smooth, and missing a few notes as he tried to recall the song from so long ago.

Back when he and Guzman roamed the streets trying to stay out of their homes. The kind woman who had taken in two ruffians and given them something to do as she worked on a plan to help them. The woman who had fed them and treated their injuries with kindness and soft hums.

  
Little by little, he began to calm, able to hum more smoothly. Missing less notes. Rocking Burnet and Ash as he kept humming. 

  
" _Lost you_." Ash sobbed tiredly, quieting his heartwrenching wails as emotion bled out of him and fatigue set in.

Burnet pressed her palm to his cheek and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Hiccuping as she thumbed away tears with gentle ministrations.

Pikachu chirping and wiping tears off the other cheek with an encouraging smile.

Eyes an iridescent white, looked to him in gratitude and he felt guilt. So much guilt.

They'd done this.

  
Slowly their tears stopped. Slowly their sobs quieted to snifles.   
And then, with his back pressed to the door, Kukui became aware of the quiet snores. Burnet gazed up at him eyes soft with love and smiled.

He looked down at Ash asleep, Pikachu gently patting his chin as he sang.   
He relaxed and leaned his head against the door. _**"The Champions are outside the door, they are aware they can not get in. They are inquiring if you require assistance."**_ Kukui sighed, looking at the pokemon piled around them, sleeping or just watching them.

  
"I can't get up. And I don't want to disturb Ash." The Mew like pokemon nodded, eyes glowing blue as psychic energy wrapped around them and he remembers being held like this before.

He shook the thought off as he was gently deposited onto the bed.

* * *

Lance took one look at the empty room and slammed his head into the back of his wheelchair. He let out an explosive sigh then backed out of the room and shut the door.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text to both Cynthia and Diantha and then slowly made his way three floors down.

Ash behaved for two days.

A record.

 _He should have known it was too good to be true_.

A soft clunking caught his attention and he found Diantha stepping out of the conference room. She looked as tired as him.   
"We really should have expected him to do this. He didn't even last a day at Kalos before bailing out the forty third story window." Lance was glad Kanto didn't have such high floors.

The highest Ash had ever thrown himself off was usually off a legendary.   
"I'm telling his mother, she's finally allowed on tomorrow even if no one else is." Lance pressed the button for the elevator and waited for it to come down. He pulled out his phone when it vibrated and then shoved it back under his lap.

He would respond when he was good and ready.  
Stupid council.

  
The doors opened to reveal Cynthia leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed over her chest. 

  
They exited the elevator and made their way to Kukui and Burnet's room at a sedate pace. Maybe letting Ash visit them would calm down some of his jittery behavior.

  
As they neared the room they could hear a faint noise. They each shared looks of unease as they picked up their pace until they were practically flying down the hall.  
They could hear heartwrenching sobs.

They paused at the door, something rooting their feet to the ground. Or in Lance's case, his wheels. _**"Step no closer."**_ Mewtwo ordered, they could hear Ash, Burnet and Kukui sobbing. " _It isn't fair_!" Interspersed between the sobs, though it was barely intelligible.

They could hear Pikachu calling Ash's name, he sounded as if he were crying too.

  
"I _lost_ you!" Ash wailed later, easier to understand but it didn't make the hurt less. Burnet and Kukui's words reverberated in his mind. _'The world took._

_And it **took.** _

  
_And it **took.**_

  
_Leaving his trainer with pain and scars. With tears and fears.'_ Lance shut his eyes against the burning sensation building. Ash had come to Alola for a _vacation._

Had given up going to Galar to get a break, had petitioned Lance to _suspend_ his license so that he would not be recommended into Galar.

Had come home to find a sponsorship letter in his mail and had taken the letter and tore it to shreds and chucked his pokedex out the door.

Tearfully glared at Lance and ran for Professor Oak's ranch.

Lance could _still_ feel the slap from Delia as she glared angrily at him.

The Mr. Mime who had given him the pokédex and showed him out of the property. 

He grit his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose as a tear escaped him. Even after all this trouble he had gone through to temporarily suspend Ash's license with the excuse that Ash was taking on the task of research assistant to professor Oak.

The calls he had fielded from Galar for more reasons as to the suspension when Ash had clearly been featured in a number of research papers while being a trainer.

The phone buzzed again, his decision to keep the suspension of an unknown trainer's license being called into question.

He ignored the phone.

His thoughts turning inward.

  
They were _chosen,_ he and his clan. But Ash was _The_ **Chosen** _One._ And they could not share this burden with him.

Because it was a burden, not a gift as his father had told him.

He had _not_ chosen to die for the world.

Ash had _not_ chosen to die for the world.

Yet regardless of this he would _gladly_ do it if it meant saving it.

  
He could hear broken humming.

High and off key.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the humming began to sound smoother. It no longer sounded as broken.

Sobs slowly quieted, and the humming began to sound soothing. Melodious. And when the sobs and hiccups finally tapered off they could move again. The door opened and they could see Kukui reclining on his bed with Burnet on his lap, and on her lap Ash was soundly asleep curled tightly and practically crushed into her side.

Pikachu was plastered to Ash's neck. He looked up pointing at Lance with narrowed gray eyes before turning away and petting the nape of Ash's neck. 

  
"This was a little earlier than expected, but he'll bounce back pretty soon." Lance sighed as Mew floated over and began messing with his hair. He ignored the legendary for the time being and turned his attention to Ash.

If he _could,_ he _would_ take this _burden_ off his shoulders. But he couldn't and that _killed_ him.

It was the reason Pikachu held such a grudge. Because Lance was _chosen._

And he could not help when it _mattered._

* * *

  
Mewtwo watched the proceedings with a heavy heart. He could feel the weight sitting heavily among the humans. The chains dragging them down as they tried to recover but could not find the strength in this endless cycle of tears and remembering. 

  
He remembers the smile Ash wore.

Even after suffering and watching others suffer.

His smile sat on the surface masking the waters churning below. 

When they met again and Ash did not know him he still treated Mewtwo with kindness.

 _Still_ chased after Pikachu, his _partner,_ not slave. Had claimed Mewtwo as a friend and fought for him. Even when he questioned Mewtwo knowing him he did not seek the answers. 

  
The Kanto Champion mentioned Ash's ability to bounce back as if it was something he _loathed._ He could sense the turmoil within the Champions at that. _**"Will you separate them?"**_ Mewtwo asked, curious to their response as Ash dreamed of things that had passed. Events playing over and over on loop.

Mewtwo looked to the pokémon gathered around as they slowly migrated to the bed.

  
"No, he needs to rest. He won't if he returns to his room." The Sinnoh Champion stated, walking off to find a nurse. The Professors looked to Ash as if he were there whole world but continued to doubt.

Could they not sense the love Ash had for them?

Could they not feel his anguish of the thought of losing not just Pikachu but them too?

Were they not aware, that while Ash slept he dreamt of hif family, and they were part of it. _**"Why do you continue to doubt yourselves?"** _Mewtwo queries as he reaches out to Ash, Ash fearfully withdrawing before relaxing into dreams of happier times.

Pikachu shot him a grateful look as Victini settled down in Ash's arms.

Mewtwo watched Tapu Koko drift closer, arm rising and poised, mouths at the end opening and closing as it jabbed the Professor's chest. Then the female's chest was jabbed lightly. Mouths closing at it came to rest on Ash's cheek.

Then it spread its arms out and slowly brought them together until the points touched creating a circle with its body.

Them when it was sure it was being watched it opened its mouths creating a diamond. Mewtwo did not understand the significance of this second gesture but he did understand the first. _**"You are connected. In all the ways that matter, that is not something that should be shunned."**_ Mewtwo states, asking for more clarification on the second gesture when the male Professor's reaction catches his attention.

  
"Kahuna Hala... once told me... that was the gesture for how we thanked the Radiant one. Why... are you thanking us? After what we did." He choked.

Mewtwo extended his paw and touched the human's forehead, he showed him what they had done by feeling so strongly for Ash.

Then he showed him the dreams that Ash had dreamt of while he slept for so long. The woman beside him tearing up at the memories.

Memories of every day things. Little that seemed inconsequential but clearly made an impact on Ash.

  
Mewtwo watched Ash's dreams unfold as he linked the humans to his mind. _Ash sleepily stretched before making his way down a ladder, hair getting ruffled as he made his way to the table after lowering all of his pokemon to the floor._  
_Everyone gathered at the table ate in silence. The warm atmosphere filling the emptiness._  
_A school, countless pokémon and children of all ages gathered within._  
_A hand tapping his cap as he bent over his desk, tired of trying to pay attention to his textbook._  
_Smiles._  
_Laughter._  
_An arm over his shoulder as they walked. Talking about nothing and everything._  
_A house empty but still feeling like a home._

_**"This is what he dreamt of as he slept."** _

_Ash laughed as food was prepared. Elbows nudging him. Fingers swiping across his cheeks covering him in food. Hands slapping his in admonishment, sliding him food anyways._  
_Settling down into a couch, trading stories and battle strategies._  
_Hugs, warm and all encompassing, expressing peace and a sense of safety he had yearned for._

_**"He dreamt of all that he loved and cared for because he knew it was safe."** _

_Ash held Pikachu in his arms. Trained with his pokemon. Ate with his pokemon. Slept with his pokemon._  
_A ranch that extends for miles filled with pokemon was prominent._  
_A small house with a red roof. A woman with long red hair smiling._  
_Countless faces._  
_All smiling and laughing._

_**"To him. There is no greater gift, than what you've given him."** _Mewtwo slowly moved back watching Ash sleep peacefully. The humans stared at Mewtwo in awe, he didn't understand why. He hadn't actually done anything to warrant their attention. 

  
"You're too modest Mewtwo." the Kanto Champion smiled, pulling Mew off his head as he looked to the Guardian deities who all made the same gesture of gratitude before filing out of the room after prodding Ash at least once.

* * *

  
Cynthia could read guilt in the lines of Lance's shoulders. It made her curious. What he had done to feel guilty over, not that she didn't feel quilty but she knew it was not the same as the one Lance wore.

No.

This had to do with Pikachu's vehement dislike of the Champion. What could he have done to warrant this level of dislike when he seemed to be the most protective of Satoshi?

Had once challenged them all after the events of the Orange islands and beaten them to get his point across.

His point being that there was a prophecy that had been fulfilled and a trainer in his region would need all their help and they should give it should he ever ask. Lance _never revealed_ Satoshi's identity.

He left it to them to meet him. And they did in the Kanto League. This child who had come in at the top 16 with pokemon exhausted but pushing themselves past their limits. He had seemed so _unimpressive._ Mediocre. 

Until he _wasn't._

Events whispered about.

Rumors following.

Legendary pokemon taking notice.

It all began to add up.

  
And they all began to see.

The self recrimination in Lance only grew with each event. The events only escalated.

The danger grew.

The toll widened.

Guilt set in and Lance never seemed to feel anything but guilt as he asked after the trainer that hailed from his region.

* * *

  
Delia had been at home, polishing Ash's trophies and plaques. Dusted his badges and then looked to the photos framing the wall.

The large frame she had custom ordered from Vermillion to hold the poster of signatures from Ash pokemon hung above the trophy case. 

"Mr. Mime?" Delia broke out of her thoughts and looked down to see Mr. Mime holding out the freshly wiped pokedexes. She took the most recent one and opened the slot at the bottom to see her son's trainer ID. She brushed her thumb across his smiling face and thought back to the new pokedex he had received.

_None of his information available to the rotom inhabiting it, starting over as a new trainer in the eyes of Alola._

  
"He's doing okay now." She smiled, Mr. Mime returned her smile and set the pokédexes in a small drawer leaving her with the ID. She wonders if she should keep hold of it still or send it to Alola now that Ash was finally healing from whatever happened in Kalos that he would not speak it.

A knock at the door startled her, she slipped the ID into her pocket and set down her dust cloth. Mr. Mime beat her to the door, keeping himself firmly between their guest and her. 

  
"Hello Delia." Delia froze, her son's rage as he shredded a letter so thoroughly it resembled confetti flashed through her mind.

"Lance." She responded coldly, Ash throwing his pokedex out the door as he ran full tilt to his pokemon. _Ran_ and did not _return_ home for a full two days.

He winced, hair falling into his bruised face. He leaned into a crutch with a wince and she could see his leg in a cast to mid thigh.

She could see various bandages peaking out of his clothing, all loose fitting. Nothing of his usual ensemble.

Her heart fell as the longer she stared at him the more injuries she could see. 

_She had not seen him like this in years. Not when they mutually agreed to stop seeing each other._

"I'm sorry. I..." Lance bit his split lip, and bowed as low as he could. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't do anymore." The weight of a small plastic in her pocket burned as she reached forward and forced Lance to look her in the eyes.

"What happened to my son Lance?" he pulled a thick file out of a backpack, and held it out.  
"I did everything that I could. He wasn't alon-" Delia cut him off, she knew his status as _chosen_ meant nothing in comparison to her son's status.

"Tauros! He's always alone when it really matters!" Her son was _always alone_. Forced to make a choice no child should ever have to.

And then keeping silent about events to _protect her._ When _she_ should be the one _protecting him_.  
"Why my son? What else has the world taken from him?" She could feel her eyes burning but she refused to shed anymore tears in front of this man.

He looked down in shame. It made her heart throb but she steeled herself. Her son mattered more.

"It took Pikachu. And he brought him back, leaving him in a coma amongst countless other in a hospital on Mele Mele island." His voice cracked as he looked up at her, eyes shining.

The floor gave way beneath her. Mr. Mime supporting her as she was lowered to the floor. Ash _loved_ Pikachu. He loved all his pokemon but Pikachu held a special place in his heart.

She could imagine the devastation. 

"What happened?" She asked blank, emotions frozen as she struggled to move past the thought of Pikachu dying. Mr. Mime handed her a file, she numbly took it and flipped through the pages without retaining any information.

Her eyes picked out the strange wording but did not register much else. There were photos at the end. Some tentacool like being was lying on a grassy floor.

There were photos of people inside these strange beings. Fighting.

Giant beings of pure energy.

She could see her son in some of the photos, a small dot amongst chaos.

She could see Pikachu in one of those being and felt her heart bleed at the thought of how much it must have hurt Ash.

  
"Take me to him." She demanded, Lance would not meet her eyes as he accepted the folder slammed into his chest.

"He isn't allowed any visitors." She felt like screaming. Like tearing her hair out. This was her child and she wasn't allowed to see him?

He was suffering. Suffering so much that he would not wake, because she knows her son. He could take damage. He'd get hurt or knocked unconscious but he would get back up again. 

"You will send for me when he wakes up." She hissed furiously. Lance looked up, meeting her eyes with guilt ridden ones.

"I will." He bowed, then a ring appeared and swallowed him whole.  
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sank to her knees. Her world, the light of her life, had suffered in unimaginable ways.

How was she going to help him this time? What could she possibly do to help him heal?

_She couldn't do much before._

_Could only hold him when he cried._

_Could only smile and pretend she didn't lie awake on the nights he screamed himself awake._

"I can't help him Mr. Mime." She sobbed brokenly into her dearest friend's shoulder.

Professor Oak stopped by her house not too long after for their daily tea break and she explained everything she could recall to him. He gently gathered her into his arms and promised to help her with all that he could.

  
Together the two of them set about calling Ash's old traveling companions in the hopes that they would be able to help cheer Ash up.

That he wouldn't feel the need to isolate himself as he had after Kalos.  
It took several hours, hours in which she should have been running her restaurant. She sent Mr. Mime to close it for her and resumed her mission of tracking down each one of Ash's companions and sending them either a short email to contact her, or a message that Ash had been hurt badly and was in the hospital in Alola.

  
During all this she was aware of the thin plastic card in her pocket, so light yet heavy with implication.

She wonders if she should just take her scissors to it.

Save her son the trouble of destroying it in a fit a rage and desperation.

But each time the urge became too strong she looked at the photos of his smiling face as he was surrounded by pokémon and people in various regions and stayed her hand.

It was just like her mother used to say. _It's raining now, but at the end there's a rainbow just beyond the horizon._ They were going to get through this. She was going to keep her son from wallowing in fear this time.

**_She would do better this time._ **

* * *

  
Ash woke up to arms wrapped around him. He was being squished to someone's neck.

He felt too hot. And cramped.

He was just uncomfortable all around. He cracked an eye open and saw Pikachu, past Pikachu he could see a shoulder. He couldn't identify the shoulder, huffing he shifted and managed to get some wiggle room.

He looked around and saw Hoopa playing a game of war with Mewtwo, Mew, Darkrai, Lycanroc and Torracat. Rowlet was asleep on a pile of berries, a hair brush, some small round pallets he's seen Dawn use to put color on her eyes, and Cynthia's coat. He looked away.

  
He looked down at his arms and saw Victini happily snuggled into his chest, Pikachu stirred and looked up at him. He rubbed his cheek to Ash's and Ash rubbed his cheek back into Pikachu's.

He looked around some more and stiffened. The uncomfortable heat became sweltering as he saw that he was on Burnet-hakase's lap, who was on Kukui-hakase's lap.

He frantically untangled himself from their hold, tripping over the blanket twisted around his ankle but was caught by Mewtwo before he could slam back first into the floor when he twisted so he wouldn't land on Pikachu or Victini. 

  
He sprinted out of the room as soon as Mewtwo righted him. The pokemon chasing after him. Ash could feel the heat in his cheeks at the frankly embarrassing way he'd fallen apart then fell asleep on the two Professors.

_Like a frightened child._

  
"Ash?!" Ash skidded to a halt but didn't stop fast enough and tripped over Lance's outstretched leg. He winced at the hiss behind him as he tucked and clumsily flopped onto the floor as vertigo struck him.

A hand picked him up by the back of his shirt and then he found himself on Lance's lap as he proceeded to wheel them to the elevator.

  
"Next time wait for one of us to take you somewhere." He grumbled softly, sighing in exasperation as Mew floated closer with a brush in their paws and began to mess with his hair.

Ash watched, the elevator music irritating him a little, as little by little Mew usee psychic to braid Lance's hair. Lance caught his eye, as he began to wheel them to his room.

"You get used to it. It's either my hair or Cynthia's." He shrugged a little as the door was opened before they even reached it. Ash didn't even have to move before he was deposited back into his bed. He shivered, the heat from earlier dissipating. 

He found Cynthia's coat blocking his vision.

He shifted and dragged the coat off his head before shrugging and slipped his arms into the sleeves and wrapped himself up in the coat opening it for Pikachu and Victini to huddle inside with him.

"Are you mad that I left the room?" Ash asked softly, looking anywhere but Lance, who always looked guilty when Ash was hurt. 

He didn't know what to do to erase it.

Everything he did seemed to add on to it.

He wanted Lance to _smile_ at him as he had before.

He wanted Pikachi to _stop_ trying to start fights.

He wanted his mama to _stop_ treating Lance so coldly.

"No. Ash..." a fingernail tapped the cast on his leg. "I'm surprised you got around unheard with this on." There was a smile in Lance's voice. Ash looked up, Lance was pouting at his cast, he caught sight of Ash watching him and relaxed.

"It was annoying, it made sneaking around harder." Ash muttered bring a knee to his chest.  
Pikachu licked his cheek offering a comforting smile and he relaxed. He withheld the sigh of exasperation when Pikachu turned to face Lance and shot him a glare.

Lance's smile fell, that was something Ash _didn't_ want.

"Tapu Koko and the others also made it hard to sneak around." Ash smiled, catching Lance's attention before he could fall in into guilt. "They have no concept of being stealthy and kept floating into view." Lance nodded, glancing up when Mew curled around his head like some type of crown.

"The staff had a hard time treating all the patients in the beginning. Stuck between awe, trying to worship and trying to take care of the patients." Lance said before chuckling as he looked at Ash.

"You're doctor especially. He admitted he'd commit blasphemy." Ash grinned, that sounded like him. His nonsense attitude despite his faith always seemed to clash when Ash was around.

Especially because Kukui-hakase had first brought him in too make sure he was okay after being smacked by an Alolan eggexcutor had memtioned Tapu Koko's interest in. The poor doctor had called him god touched and then proceeded to lecture Ash about safety.

His lecturing tone getting more exasperated each time Kukui-hakase brought him in despite Ash's best attempts to remain home. But Kukui-hakase worried, even when Ash shrugged off injuries like water down a psyduck's back.

"Dr. Kai is really fun!" Ash exclaimed before wincing as the door opened to reveal said doctor's unamused face.  
"Hiiii...." Ash waved, then pressed his hands together in front of his face. "Imsorrypleasehavemercy!" Ash rushed put as he squeezed his eyes shut, he could hear Pikachu repeat after him to not separate them again.

There was a few seconds of silence before something flat landed softly on his head. He peeked up to see a clipboard and Dr. Kai staring at him fondly.

"If you behave from here on out, then I will have 'mercy', just don't force my hand." Ash shared a glance with Pikachu, then looked down at Victini who offered a quiet 'Tini?' In reply and nodded.

"Okay." A stern glare was leveled his way and he froze, slumping in relief when the look faded and the doctor turned his attention to Lance who already had his arms crossed over his chest and was nervously looking elsewhere.

Ash stifled a laugh as the doctor lectured Lance about walking earlier, and how he was going ask Mew to bind him to his wheelchair if he didn't stick to using it.

"It was only a shower." He muttered petulantly, Mew nodding along in agreement. The doctor threw his hands into the air and faced Ash again.

"You know the routine by now." Ash nodded and held still as his vitals were checked.  
He answered the questions with actual words, being on thin ice and all. Even if he sometimes responded with a sound unable to accurately describe what he was feeling, Dr. Kai was used to his idiosyncrasies by now. 

"If you're up to it, later today you can have a visitor, i hear she's been waiting anxiously." Looked to Mewtwo and Hoopa who nodded and he grinned.  
"Yeah!" Pikachu happily agreeing as well, he couldn't wait to see his mama. He just hopes the tension between her and Lance wouldn't grow. 

"Well. Aside from your fever and soreness, it looks like you're on the road to recovery." Ash stiffened at the pointed look from Mewtwo, awkwardly averting his gaze so as to not draw Dr. Kai's attention.

He was fine, he would recover from this aura induced 'flu' just like last time. He wasn't doing anything bad by keeping quiet about this, it wasn't like anyone would understand or be able to help him. _ **"But they would still worry regardless, this fever having no known origin in their eyes."**_ Mewtwo explained, Ash directed his attention to Lance and briefly explained Lance's history.

The Aura Guardians his clan descended from, losing the capability of aura as the the decline of aura Guardians hit after the war. The vow his clan had taken to uphold their vows and sacred rights even when they could no longer use aura and how Ash was amongst the handful of Aura capable in this new generation with no teachers.

_How he couldn't burden Lance with this when he had chosen this vow while Ash had it thrust upon him leading to guilt._

To Pikachu's vehement dislike of the Champion while his mama treated the Champion with frigid politeness. How he wanted to keep all parties from furthering their dislike and opted to keep silent and bumble his way through learning the lost art.

  
Ash was snoozing, still wrapped in Cynthia's coat after she let him keep it. When he became aware of a soft presence, a hand in his hair, and a smell that reminded him of home.

The scent of seasonings, lemon and something sweet.  
"Hi Mama." Ash smiled, opening his eyes to see warm brown eyes full of concern and love.  
"Hi yourself." She smiled.

And he _relaxed._

  
He felt complete.


	12. Everyone I've Ever Loved Is Here Within These Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aether employees found that footage had survived the chaos of the invasion.  
> The Champions decide to view it before destroying it so that the council will not have any evidence of Ash's involvement.  
> They decide to view the video from the body cams the Ultra Guardians and Ultra Rangers have as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: into the unknown - idina menzel

Ash was snoozing, still wrapped in Cynthia's coat after she let him keep it. When he became aware of a soft presence, a hand in his hair, and a smell that reminded him of home. The scent of seasonings, lemon and something sweet.

"Hi Mama." Ash smiled, opening his eyes to see warm brown eyes full of concern and love.

"Hi yourself." She smiled. And he _relaxed._ He felt complete.

All was right in the world, and they were all safe.

He shifted so that he was laying closer to her side and fell back to sleep, he was still tired but the exhaustion was finally lifting. 

"No fighting with nice words." He slurred, the hand in his hair stilling and losing its frigid aura.

He frowned. This side effect of feeling hadn't gone away yet. _**"That is called empathy, i was surprised you even noticed it considering you already show a natural aptitude for it."**_ Ash huffed, he was sleepily. He was not going to be learning while he slept, thank you very much Mewtwo. 

* * *

Delia watched Ash's frown smooth over and she very purposefully did not glance at Lance.

Her baby was always sensitive after moments like this. She continued running her fingers through his hair, absently keeping hold of Pikachu's paw.

His eye color had startled her but this new color was just as beautiful. Iridescent and glimmering with the reflection of the colors in the room. She knows.her son would love Pikachu regardless of his appearance. 

The legendary pokemon in the room were keeping to the other side of the room, relaxed and made their way back to Ash's side. She knows they were doing this for her sake.

She feels better, knowing that they would respect her wishes but she didn't want to separate them from Ash.

He loved them too after all.

A tiny orange and cream furred pokémon glanced shyly at her then vanished from view but she could see Ash shift as if something was in his arms. She let it be and glanced at Ash's pokemon, his Litten had evolved. As had his Rockruff, both fitting into these new forms beautifully.

She could see how much they loved her son. And how much he loved them.

"You've both grown up splendidly. And Rowlet, your still so beautiful." She cooed, the pokemon bashfully huddling close to her son's slumbering form. Pikachu smiled, chittering at the pokemon who nodded at her with happy expressions.

Rowlet flew off the headboard and carefully landed on her shoulder before tucking its head into her hair and fell asleep. She very consciously did not move her shoulder as she stifled a laugh.

"Is Professor Oak arriving today as well?" She looked away from her son to see the Champion of Kalos, Diantha staring. Delia looked away from her, hand coming to rest on Ash's cheek. He felt warm, his cheeks a light pink but his breathing was even so there wasn't much to worry about.

"He's already here, he's with his cousin Samson, I asked him to pull Ash out of school." She was aware of the silence heavy behind her but she knew what she was doing. 

Ash would need a break. And it wasn't permanent.

She knows he would rather continue his education then drop out, signing back up would be a good motivation for him to relax and move at his own pace. Rather than letting sick days build up and loom over him.

* * *

Samuel departed from his cousin's school with a heavy heart. Ever since he was a child he knew that Ash was special. After rescuing Celebi. Seeing Suicune personify. Watching Celebi return to life. He had known when he returned to his time that he had met a one of a kind individual. Someone destined for great things.

As he grew older he searched for the boy who had taught him about perseverance and kindness. But he never met him in his travels.

And soon, he grew weary of travels and wished to continue his studies of pokemon, wishing that there was an easier way to store the information he gathered.

Then he recalled the meat little device Ash had shown him. The pokedex. Something never before heard of in all his time traveling, and it was then that he realized. He could still meet Ash. If he was the creator of the pokedex, one day Ash would pick one up from him.

It was with great joy and a sense of giddiness that he began this creation, meeting the love of his life as he settled down and created a place to call his own. A place to research. 

To create.

To allow pokémon to cohabitate with one another, with humans.

Flashforward several years, he had a son, and his son had a son. His grandson. And his daughter in law's friend Delia Ketchum gave birth to her own son.

 _Ash._

This was it.

What he had been waiting for.

The moment he had anticipated for forty years.

_"Hello old friend. One day you will grow to inspire a young boy to create the greatest legacy in the world. I hope to inspire you the same way."_

Sam caught sight of young Brock, and Young Misty talking to Ash's group of friends. Reassuring them that Ash would return. They wouldn't even notice the time without him because he would make up for it.

They caught sight of him and bid the children farewell. 

"Ash will still be able to return to school later right?" Brock queried, concerned about Ash's education. Samuel nodded, then pulled the two gym leaders to his side as a ring swept over him.

Both were tense, hands on their pokeballs as they pressed their backs to his side.

"It's alright, that was the Mythical, Hoopa teleporting us to the hospital. I had assumed I had more time." He directed the latter half of his sentence to the sheepish legendary. 

"Hoopa thought Hoopa should bring Ashkan's friend so Ashkan's meema would stop staring very hard at Mew's close friend." Samuel sighed, Delia truly loved her son. And it showed.

Challenging Champion Lance. With the animosity between them, he sometimes wonders if she resents him for breaking up with her all those years ago.

"Very well, Misty, Brock." The gym leaders waved him off and sat down on chairs in the waiting room. 

He caught sight of a women with magenta hair and a man with blue hair and wondered why they seemed so familiar but brushed it aside as he followed the anxious mythical. 

"Show me the footage." Delia demanded icily as he opened the door. He paused, eyeing Lance's beaten appearance. 

He eyed Champion Cynthia and Champion Diantha equally beaten but standing tall, whereas as Lance slumped into his wheelchair.

"We haven't even seen it, this is the first we've even heard of footage." Champion Diantha stated but Lance bowed his head and waved his hand.

"No one else knows about the footage and we will be destroying it later. It can't hurt her to see it. I'll deal with any repercussions." Samuel hated the tone of defeat.

Samuel followed after the Champions, Delia at his side. He'd only gotten a single glimpse of Ash and it tore a hole in his heart to see him looking so small. Curled into a ball with pokemon piled on top and around him.

It reminds him of how he was after returning from Kalos. His old friend, destined for great things, was _also_ destined for so much suffering.

And that hurt everyone deeply, some taking that guilt and drowning in it.

Others shoring up ice walls to block out the pain.

Others could not watch, could not help anymore, had their own goals to follow.

Soon Ash dealt alone with so much and told no one. Asked for no help and a lines drawn became deeper.

They were all gathered in a room with a few Aether employees standing around. The man and woman from earlier settled down in the corner conversing softly with some other employees. 

"The Ultra Guardians and the Ultra Rangers have body cameras on their uniforms. It was so we could study the ultra beasts... and we have cameras placed all along the paradise to monitor the pokemon..." a woman with mauve colored hair and green eyes teared up. She was dressed in white clothing with a pink sweater, she looked to be the one in charge at the moment. "We thought the cameras had gone down. As soon as the ultra wormhole opened we lost power." A projector had just finished being set up and chairs were filled.

* * *

Delia sat down beside Professor Oak, she absently missed the weight of her son's hand in hers, of Pikachu's paw. The soft cloud on her shoulder that was Rowlet. 

Instead she sat here in a dark room with a projector mounted and setting to play what her son would no doubt never speak of.

A warm weathered hand rested on her clenched fists, she loosened the hold on her skirt and gratefully accepted the hand to hold.

_There was the sound of tired cheering. Her son, dismounted a Garchomp and received several pats on the back. There was obviously a celebration planned for the weary combatants. She could see several other teenagers being jostled, smiles and laughter all around. Then the jovial mood plummeted as several strangely beautiful vortexes appeared out of thin air._

_There was only a few seconds of utter stillness before several beings erupted from the vortex straight into the middle of things._

_"Gigavolt Havoc!" A voice cried out suddenly admist panicked scrambling._

_Thunder tore a line straight down the opposing side straight into the vortex._

_"Back to back! Exeggcute formation!" A voice barked and the men and women, the children all followed the order within seconds. Pressed back to back in groups of two to six they no longer panicked._

_Instead they began to fight back. Giving as good as they received and then some. But exhaustion had set in._ She blinked back tears at the sight of her son fighting for his life.

Ordering people twice or thrice his age without a shred of hesitation. _Fighting with his fists or feet along side his pokemon whereas most of the others simply commanded their pokemon. He didn't hesitate to fight along side his pokémon._

_"Divide and conquer, Hail to the Guardian Deities!" There was a second, a single second that stretched on as four teenagers performed a strange dance. A brilliant aurora of lights and then a rumbling that shook the cameras._

_Beings made of pure light rose from the ground. There was a moment of silent awe, almost as if the beings and humans along side their pokemon had forgotten they were in a battlefield._

_Then the four teenagers raised their arms or their legs as did the beings of pure light. And carnage ensued as they decimated the opposing forces._

_A blonde haired boy and a Tauros-esque pokemon swept through lines of muscled creatures._

_A blue haired girl and a mermaid shaped pokemon were a whirl of feet destroying thin reedy looking beings._

_A boy with red and black hair slammed fists along side a beautiful fairy type._

_And her son._

_Fought with the ferocity of a tyranitar and kangaskhan. Her heart dropped as he spun in the air and slammed his heel into the body of the strange see through like tentacool that seemed to swarm him and the men around him._

_He left a crater in the ground with some beings with star shaped heads embedded into it._

Her grip tightened as she lurched forward.

_Beings of light flickered one by one until until one remained and in a last ditch effort swatted the air with ruthless efficiency until it too faded away like diamond dust. Scattering to the winds, obscured by the smoke rising. Scattered by the gusts, and tornadoes forming._

_Water, fire, ice, lightning. Attacks flying theough the air._

She was taken back to that day. The day she almost lost her whole world. Birds of fire, ice, lightning and a smooth white bird type all fighting. Her son.

**Alone.**

**Fighting.**

Delia stifled a sob, anger and resentment burning in her chest at the thought of her son always being drawn to events like these. To disasters so that he could fix them. _Why did it have to be her son_.

Lance was _chosen,_ as he had admitted to her so many years ago.

 **Ash hadn't chosen this**.

_One by one began, they began to fall. Being swept into those otherworldly beings, swallowed and then callously discarded. The only consolation she could see was the teenagers were heavily guarded. They would not be left discarded and broken._

Her son was not alone this time. Even if he seemed to be at the center of the storm.

Delia was aware of the stifled cries throughout the room. The flinches. There was a duo near the far right corner that watched on stony silence as they embraced one another.

 _"Pikachu!!!!"_ She jumped in surprised at the fearful scream.

_A woman with white hair shoved a man aside and was instantly being engulfed even as the man refused to let go of her hand and soon he too fell prey to those awful beings._

Her eyes looked away, jumping from corner to corner trying to spot her son through the man camera angles available. She was grateful in a way, that they had opted out of showing body camera angles.

There!

_A tentacle wrapped around her son's leg pulling him up into the air but he was instantly grabbed around the waist and bodily hauled to the floor. Then she saw the man in a lab coat sans shirt in that being before her son. Pikachu, heavily exhausted but fighting to protect Ash jumped and was batted aside. Ash slipped between the Professor's legs reaching desperately for his partner._

She watched with a heavy heart.

_Pikachu flew straight into one of the beings. He was instantly swept away into the shielded arms of that strange pokémon he'd described their first night in Alola._

_Kukui-hakase, struck the pokémon down with ruthlessness. Ash shed tears of regret and despair._

And her heart broke.

_Ash ran, calling for a retreat and creating a large explosion with Rowlet. The narcoleptic bird bravely flew at her son's side, showering him with leaves to shield him from prying hands._

_The white haired woman and Kukui-hakase broke from the routine of the other beasts._

_They took down their own kind instead of trying to grab more humans. They struck with the ferocity of her son's bulbasaur and charizard._

_They defended him. _

_Pikachu defended him. Would always defend him, even when he lost control of himself._

"Oh Ash." Delia sobbed softly, cupping a hand to her mouth. He cared greatly for these people, for Pikachu.

_Ash ran across the battle field. Slipping past enemies and being defended from behind._

**_"RETREAT!!!!"_ ** _He cried out, Rowlet by his side as they swiftly performed a dance. An explosion tore across the battlefield separating all sides from one another._

How it must have pained him to see them this way.

_Ash backed away from the people and pokemon that he cherished. He stepped into the water gathering his Rowlet into his arms, blood dripping down his chin in a steady stream._

_One by one they spoke, but Ash did not listen to their words, focused on the humans and pokemon that could not get away as he promised to return. Pikachu stepped forward, rather he floated forward._

_He shook his head, dragging a finger across his chin and flicked the blood off without a care._

_"No Pikachu. I choose **you.** I choose you over the **world** this time." He smiled, the water rippled, he tilted backwards and hit the water. _

_Only._

_His back met no resistance and he vanished instead as Kukui-hakase slammed into the water._

"He left into the reverse world via the legendary Pokemon Giratina." Someone said.

* * *

Jessie and James had been ordered to find out about what happened in Alola as they were residing there. They briefly explained that there was an invasion but they knew nothing more as the Aether Foundation sent out their Ultra Guardians along with an army to combat the ultra beasts.

They reported that they did not know when, why or how the champions ended up involved and were sent to find out and report in.

Which lead to them once again disguised as Aether employees.

Holding onto one another as they watched.

_Kukui angrily slammed a tentacle into the water creating a large splash._

_Pikachu splintered a tree with a powerful bolt of lightning._

_And the aether employee, Burnet turned to face the battlefield where the ultra beasts were corralling humans and pokemon alike in the center._

_Leaving and discarding humans left and right, before they stopped. They became stationary as they faced the three being most protective of the twerp._

_They resumed corralling the humans and pokémon alike in the center but they no longer tried to consume them. There was a second before the Aether President challenged Kukui, he struck her down and she sent out pokemon to fight but the Professor didn't seem to need any pokémon to fight his battles._

_He fired off poison sting after poison sting and brough down the pokémon with ease before turning his sights on the president._

_She fearfully backed up._

"She's smaller. The Professor and she are around similar heights but she's smaller. Her employees is bigger than she is." James muttered, she nodded, glancing at the twerp's mother from the corner of her eye.

Her heart went out for the woman, unaware of the danger her son lived and died through.

_Rocks rose from the ground, a single crooked finger beckoning them, the president was pinned in place and submitted after a brief struggle._

_The pokemon were carefully lifted up by tentacles and gently deposited before some employees who took the pokemon away for healing._

_Grass and ground pokemon were separated from the group and made to use their abilities to repair the war torn paradise._

_And the new ability the professor seemed capable was used to create a fortress. Only this time it was crystals that were somehow being created._

They couldn't see much more as the task was outside the foundation. 

_A group of seven broke off from their tasks and made their way to Kukui who had a hand raised as if to give an order when Pikachu interrupted them with a wave of his paw._

_"Where would Ash be? What do you suggest then?" Somehow they were able to communicate with and understand Pikachu. There was a moment of stillness between the three before the Professors broke off and floated into the foundation._

_They were caught on various cameras until they reached a room with a super computer._

_There they pulled up the twerp's trainer history._

* * *

James knew all about the lengths Champion Lance had gone through to redact and restrict access to the twerp's trainer history.

But looking at the screen, he felt sick.

_Line after line was blacked out. Access restricted, video links that didn't work. Credentials being demanded to look further._

_"What is this?!" Kukui demanded, the implications staring them in the face as they returned to the paradise. To Pikachu staring solemnly at the water, and then Pikachu began to talk._

_"What do legendaries have to do with that much of his trainer file being redacted?" Kukui asked, Pikachu flicked an ear._

_"I mean I do understand, to protect the legendary pokemon but what does that have- **Chosen One**?" He stopped, Pikachu looked at the Professors with pity._

James felt Jessie's breathing hitch, Pikachu **told** them.

_They couldn't understand what Pikachu said, but the Professors could, asking for clarification multiples times._

_"So those nightmares are because of the legendary pokemon, his fear that he could not save them. That events ended up worse?" The employee cupped her hands to her mouth, shaking her head._

_"That's why he's so sensitive to cold. Why he stares off into nothing and the silence?"_

_"Why does it fall to him to stop these people hell bent on destroying the world? Why not the Champions or police?" Pikachu calmly explained, in a way that spoke of how **tired** he was of this._

"No!" James felt his heart clenching at the keening wail coming from the twerp's mother as she was pulled into Professor Oak's arms.

_"What do you mean he died? He's here now. He lives with us!" The Professor went on agitated, Pikachu raised a paw._

_"He... doesn't stay dead? How many times... how many times has he given his life for the world?!" The Professor demanded, Pikachu didn't hesitate and held up his paw indicating five times._

A wail tore into his heart, it would hurt the twerp to know his mother was learning this.

_"The world takes._

_And it **takes.**_

_And it **takes.**_

_Leaving nothing but tears and fears." The employee, Burnet's voice broke as she looked to Pikachu who nodded, crying._

_"You're afraid that Ash will lose his smile and look at the world with empty eyes." She sobbed._

_" ~~The end being so near yet so far and not permanent. It frightens you both~~." Kukui said blankly, tears leaking from his eyes._

James could feel his eyes burn, but he refused to shed a tear. The twerp would be just fine, and when he was ready for them to attempt to pokenap Pikachu he would let them know.

This would be just like after Kalos.

Hiding him for a few days after he escaped the hospital and then seeing him off.

_There was a buzz of activity as the three prepared the paradise for the twerp. The discussion of going after team rocket first, shot down by Pikachu saying the twerp was fond of them._

"We'll be switching to the body cams now. The outside cameras were disabled by the crystals." Came the tearful explanation when the videos were shut off.

_Then the champions had arrived. Some astride legendary. The Champion of Unova was on Kyogre. Flying._

_Like it had with Hoopa in Kalos._

_There were separate battles going on all at once. But they could see a common theme. The Champions and their elites were losing. The Unovan Champion and his elite four along with Kyogre were violently taken down by Pikachu alone._

_Faint patterns became visible in the tentacles of the three most protective over the twerp._

_Green, blue and yellow tints to their bodies._

_Kukui took on both Moltres and Zapdos with ease, the two birds failing to work together. Lugia attempted to fight but was taken down by Pikachu, the Champion of Hoenn falling with him._

"Champion Steven has stated he would be retiring within the next few months." The Champion of Kanto said, the heavy weight of realization weighing on them all.


	13. This Is Not The World We Had In Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were watching what happened while the rescue team had recuperated and they did not like what they were watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric,: different world- Alan Walker, Sofia Carson, k-391

Lance watched.

Hands clenched tightly on his lap. 

_Kukui was glaring angrily, membrance surrounding him tinted blue._

_"Kukui of Alola, is this what you've allowed yourself to become?" Lance queried, Kukui looked at them through the screen with eyes full of scorn._

_"For my Keiki? **Yes."** The way his eyes began to slowly take on the same blue hue as his body was frightening to watch. _ _"I won't fail him the way **you** have. The way that the world has." there was a sharp inhale, as if the words struck at a deep level. _

Lance could see Cynthia eyeing him and looked down at his lap. It had hurt to hear the accusation, see the recrimination and condemnation in Kukui's eyes.

_"No one has failed Ash, he-" Kukui cut him off by sharply cutting through the air with a tentacle._

_"Lies! It's taken and **taken** from him and only given pain and suffering! I won't allow him to suffer anymore! And you won't stop us from keeping him safe!" There was a sad exhale. A hand came into view, outstretched as if pleading. _

_"You can not protect him like this. Ash will suffer even more if you do. He loves the world and the pokémon in it too much to remain stationary."_

Lance shut his eyes as moments of heart pounding terror were recalled. The smile that Ash had given him each time that followed.

Until Kalos.

His voice so tired, as he asked for something Lance had never thought he would ask.

The hollow smile as he met him at the airport. So unlike his usual smiles. 

Angry tears.

Filled with betrayal and hurt.

The pokedex tossed aside.

The harsh slap.

Lance buried his face in his hands and leaned over his lap.

A hand rested on his upper back, another on the back of his head.

_ "You don't understand." Kukui uttered then struck hard. _

_Rayquaza didn't even have time to dodge and several pokeballs were thrown out. Altaria appeared in a flash of light followed by a red Gyarados, Dragonite, and Salamence._

_The rider was quickly caught by the altaria a shine enveloping them as Kukui tried to hammer Rayquaza before it could regain itself._

He understood more than anyone could ever know. Because his clan was chosen.

But not the Chosen One. And that made all the difference. A child would shoulder the sins of the world. 

A child would **Die** for the world.

The prophecy passed down for generations in his clan was finally active and it hurt.

The heart he had hardened to the world, had become soft due to the actions of the Chosen One.

His father's words no longer rang true to him.

~~Harden your heart Wataru, harden your heart to the **pleas** of the world or it will **break** your heart. Hold true to the vows and protect.~~

~~**Defend** with all that you have. ~~

~~**Give it your all** and when the moment comes to lay down your life, hand it to the world on a silver platter and **pass** the **reigns.**~~

~~ **We are the dragon clan, we will fight to the last for our vows.** ~~

~~ **The will of the world.** ~~

Lance subtly wiped his tears and looked back up.

~~The will of the world is ours to protect.~~

* * *

Cynthia felt her heart clench as Lance bowed under the weight of guilt.

Whatever guilt he harbored was destroying him. Satoshi had briefly lifted Lance's spirits but now, it was clear that this was eating him up. She shared a look with Diantha and swore to get to the bottom of this.

_Burnet was a mint shade of green. Her hair lightning at the tips as she panted. She had already brought down Zekrom, Suicune, Dialga and Palkia. She was near frothing at the mouth as she glared at the rider._

_They were prepared to fight. Three angles of the same scene._ _Entei, Raikou and Reshiram stood before the fusion._

* * *

_"Please, Ash would not want this. You know more than anyon-" the plea was cut off. Pikachu snapping off sparks of electricity before a voice cut in. There was a couple with an alolan meowth._

_"Hey Pikachu! This time you'll definitely be ours!" The woman called out in a taunting voice. Pikachu whirled around, he seemd almost exasperated as much as he looked agitated._

_"You down there get out of here!" A voice shouted, the woman snarled while the man twirled on his heel. Bith their arms were raised to the sky and elegantly twirled as sparkles like fairy dust lazily drifted down._

_The Guardian Deities of Alola had arrived._

* * *

_"This is our Keiki's utopia, I will not allow you to ruin it." Burnet hissed menacingly, tentacles flashing silver white as she moved to lash out at Entei when something dashed ahead of her._

_It moved fast. Then came to a sudden stop directly before Entei, Raikou and Reshiram._

_She pulled to a sudden stop. Surprise clear on her face._

Cynthia's heart was in her throat as she witnessed Satoshi's recklessness. He could have been. Would gladly take the hit if it meant protecting others. And that frightened her. Frightened her to know that his love for the world pushed him to give so much of himself.

_"What are you doing?!" Barked an agitated woman, the camera was facing open space, while two others were visibly covered._

_"No more fighting. I'm **tired."** A young whispered. _

When would enough be enough?

How much more would the world take from Satoshi and would he ever harden his heart the way Lance once had?

_"Gather the wounded and retreat for now." Ordered a rough voice. Steven was collapsed on his Metagross, drifting near the water._

_Lance was on his Gyrados circling over an area that Lugia had gone down. He was organizing several water pokémon to help retrieve the injured legendary._

_Pikachu was now fighting the Guardian deities of Alola and the duo along with their alolan meowth._

_They were especially nimble as they ducked and dodged and weaved around one another. It was almost like watching a performance. Graceful._

_No movements wasted._

Cynthia wanted to know the identities of the couple. Satoshi had obviously sought them out after he left them. Were they aware that Satoshi had not planned to summon Arceus? What was their relationship. 

And how were they entrusted with the power to fight with mythicals. 

_"Well?! Hurry up and get going!" The woman shouted as she glanced up and saw that they had yet to leave._

_"We're out for the count after this!" The man yelled, urgency in his tone as he spun his partner out of the way of a bolt of lightning. She gracefully continued to spin, dodging effortlessly. The man somersaults out of the way of a mythical slamming into the ground._

_Then without even seeing one another their movements synchronized as they danced._

_The mythicals flew before both the man and woman. The ground ruptured and beinga of pure light erupted from the ground._

_The last thing caught on camera was the man and woman dancing tango and using their dance to both hold off and beat Pikachu._

"This will be hard. The moment that will come up next..." Cynthia bit her lip. Lance looked up, eyes red but blank faced.

* * *

_Satoshi looked so small, standing before the fusions. Arms wrapped around himself in a self embrace. He was favoring his right leg, and looked as if a strong wind would knock him over._

Diantha felt her heart throb as she looked at Satoshi stand alone. He looked so young.

And to carry that heavy burden of the world on his shoulders was cruel.

_Satoshi did not move as a stinger nudged his chin up. He rubbed his arms as if chilled and held still as tentacles began to wrap around him. He rested his hands against the areas their physical bodies resided in with a strange look. The look vanished as he tilted his chin down, his expression no longer visible to the camera._

_The darkness of their shadows below them grew due to their Shadows converging, they missed the emerging figure._

_Shadow wisps wrapped around Satoshi's ankles and then he was yanked out of the arms into the ground, where he squatted. Hands braced against the ground as he looked up at their stunned expressions._

_There was a moment where both fusions froze before they rocketed down towards him. Satoshi jumped, flying straight over them just as Mew shot out of the trees and shoved them into a pink bubble._

_Mewtwo shot out of the tree and used psychic to hold all of the Nihilego that had rushed forward. They were dropped to the ground completely immobilized._

_Darkrai used dark void sending both Burnet and Kukui to sleep knocking out their half of the control._

_And Satoshi landed safely on the ground, knees giving out under him as he brought both hands to his neck. The Unovan mythical, Victini shimmered into view. Satoshi gently comforted it._

Diantha glanced at Lance, he stared at the screen in stony silence. Satoshi's mother was in tears, hand pressed to her mouth while the other gripped tightly to Professor Oak's hand. Professor Oak watched with a look of sorrow and knowing.

_Suddenly the Ultra rangers and some of the employees were regurgitated. Satoshi quickly glanced to the Professors his expression not caught but his shoulders slumped. He mumbked something before straightening up and fackng behind him with a frightened look._

_"LUSAMINE!" He cried out just as a dark pulse was fired at him. Mew was instantly before him repelling the attack with psychic while Mewtwo violently slammed her into the ground. Her black outline faded and she was slowly expelled from the ultra beast. The ultra beast became clear and white as it slowly shriveled._

_There was a single moment where it seemed as if Lusamine was not breathing. Satoshi rushed to her side and fell to his knees at her side. His hands hovered above her before he checked her pulse. He frantically pressed his ear to her chest._

No. Please no!

_Satoshi pulled back with a devastated look. He looked visibly rattled as his hands hovered around Lusamine's body. Then he steeled himself, and tilted Lusamine's chin up, opened her mouth and peered inside. He set His hands just under her bust and began to count as he pushed down on her chest._

_He paused to check her pulse, to press his ear to her chest then began again._

_Three sets of chest compressions and Satoshi stopped and spoke quietly to the Unovan mythical. He spoke quickly, urgently. Paws were pressed to Lusamine's forehead and he began chest compressions again. Lusamine arched upwards, hands gripping tightly to Satoshi's wrist as he coaxed her into slowing her breathing._

_She passed out and he set her in the rescue position before running to the ultra rangers._

_He looked visibly confused for a second as he glanced back at Lusamine but shook it off and shakily checked the pulse for each and every single person. Shakily spoke to the unovan mythical and set them in the rescue position._

_Satoshi's wheezing could be heard through the speakers. Each breath a visible struggle._

_Exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders as he shook, swaying in place._

Satoshi had been up nearing three full days with very little rest. Is this what being the Chosen One entailed?

Would he never know rest?

_"Ashkan! Hoopa found the humans and pokemon!" Hoopa exclaimed popping out of a ring with a wide grin. Satoshi returned the smile, only it seems it was not a believable smile as Hoopa left its ring and touched Satoshi's cheek. The usually mischievous mythical looked greatly concerned, Satoshi looked shaken._

It was a very tender moment. The legendary and mythical pokemon truly did care for Satoshi. Would they fight for him again if he asked? 

Would they help him shoulder the burden of the world?

_"Hoopa can still grant Ashkan's wish." Satoshi shut his eyes with a pained look and kept his mouth shut._

_"It's okay Hoopa. I just want to get through today for right now." Hoopa nodded and created a new portal allowing Satoshi to poke his head through. There was a second before he was hauled into the portal and vanished from view completely._

"This is where Ash Ketchum with the help of the Legendary Hoopa transported several people to the doctor. Mr. Ketchum was briefly seen in the hospital before he left without being seen." There was a pause. Then someone behind Diantha spoke.

"He looked so sad and hurt but he still smiled at us before he went back. This kid, he smiled, even though he's been to hell and back. He **smiled!"** The young man sobbed hysterically. 

Diantha looked away from him. Remembering the smile Satoshi had given her in Kalos right before he'd dropped to the floor unconscious.

_"Okay Hoopa, sweep your portal over these people, gently. Their hurt. They need immediate attention from the hospital." Hoopa nodded and ringed a bottle into its hands before passing it to Satoshi._

_Hoopa in their altered form towered above them all, all of its rings out began to send the unconscious staff and ultra rangers to a hospital._

_Satoshi tucked the bottle into the crook of his arms quickly wiped his sweaty palms on his shirt._

_"Hoopa sent them away. Softly. Hoopa made sure they were safe and with doctors." Hoopa's deep voice rasped, Satoshi paled as he stared up at the mythical._

_The bottle slipping from his limp fingers as his knees gave out._

_Stuttered gasps escaping him as he brought trembling hands to his chest._

_Burnet and Kukui could be seen rising up while the others were unaware of the danger behind them._

_He seemed to force himself to breathe, hands going to Hoopa's bottle and mechanically removing the lid before securing it shut as something struck hard at Hoopa._

_He was swept up in a pink bubble, he whirled around to see Burnet frozen with her arms outstretched._

_She was green, her eyes, her outline, her tentacles._

_Kukui was a midnight blue, with dark ring like patterns dotted across his tentacles._


	14. Sometimes When I Close My Eyes I Pretend I'm Alright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH**
> 
> Delia felt her heart break. Her son never should have had to suffer this type of pain.
> 
> Samuel felt every bit his age when his longest friend had a bond to his beloved partner forcefully severed. He was destined for greatness.  
> And sufferings.  
> He can only pray that this is the furthest the world will ever go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: echo- jason walker

Ash could feel so much sorrow. So much _pain_ that it turned his stomach. He grit his teeth, huddling into the coat and blankets. His teeth chattered as if he were freezing but he was _so_ hot. Pikachu worriedly pressed a paw to his chin, Ash grimaced. Flinching as guilt and anguish violently slammed into him.

He whined, tears prickling uncontrollably in his eyes as something cool was lain on his head. _**"Rest your mind, acknowledge the feelings and release them."**_ Mewtwo urged, Ash was drowning. Lost in a sea of emotions not his own, he felt the spark that was Pikachu. His anchor never lead him astray.

_Terror._

_Anguish._

_Sorrow._

_Despair._

_Rage._

_Guilt._

_Sympathy._

All these emotions were acknowledged. His heart throbbed.

It felt as if it were breaking.

Could one die of a broken heart?

 ** _"I can help but it will only be a temporary measure."_** Mewtwo spoke and Ash latched onto the calm. He begged Mewtwo, he couldn't take anymore of this. He'd never had to suffer through this for human beings. Human beings who cared for him. 

All these painful emotions, aimed for him, not toward him. At this moment though, it did not make a difference. 

There was a static fuzz layering him. Cocooning him.

Dampening the world.

A small layer was left and he could feel his pokemon. _**"Rest now. I will wake you when it is safe."**_

Ash reached out, hand grasping onto a paw. ( ~~Wake me no matter what if I'm needed. I won't let anyone harm my family)~~ There was a brief sensation of warmth. Bashful and awed. Then...

Darkness...

* * *

Delia would not look away. This was her son. His life. Pikachu's life.

She was going to watch what happened and this tine she would be able to comfort him. 

This time she would be able to do **something** for him.

**Anything.**

She wouldn't be a failure of a mother.

_"What happened? How did they get out of Darkrai's sleep?" Ash asked clambering to his feet only to end up gently pushed back down by Mew._

_Mew waggled their tail in his face then pointed at the smaller legendary. As if he were a naughty child. It almost brought some normalcy to this situation._

_Ash gathered the frightened legendary into his arms then turned back to Mewtwo who was facing north._

_Ash hugged the small furred legendary tight, glancing around. A look of abject terror crossed his face, his hand thrown out._

_"Hoopa! Get team rocket out of here **now!"** He cried out just as the floor began shaking, rocks rising above him were instantly shattered. Raining shrapnel on him as two legendaries vanished._

Her son always worried for others. Why did he not worry for himself? It was always like this.

Sometimes.

Deep in her heart.

Delia wished her son would be more selfish.

She could see the Champion Cynthia perk up in interest.

_Hoopa vanished with a soft whirring sound, that was drowned out by the sound of the rocks falling and crumbling._

_"Tapu Koko!" Ash called out desperation in his voice as he rose to his feet holding the small legendary in his arms with a scared look._

_The crystal spiral structure at the top shattered, the Guardian deity of Mele Mele had arrived._

_Ready to defend._

_Ready to fight. It hovered before Ash, claw held out protectively._

_Ash curled over the cream furred legendary as the crystal rained down on them when it stopped._

_Mew was shielding them. _

_"They are back with their bear friend Ashkan. And Hoopa took all the humans to that doctor too! Did Hoopa surprise you?" Ash nodded then glanced around._

"Ash is the one who told us, if he was there ths fusions couldn't fight to their full capacity." Champion Lance said. Her heart burned, but she stayed her hand. Now was not the time.

_"Hoopa, bring that can still fight. Legendary. Once here I want Pikachu." Ash whispered, his voice near inaudible at times. Mewtwo tilted its head, conversation flowing between them._

_It had to be._

_Ash's hands were shaking as he tried to place those z crystals he excitedly told her about a few times. His fingers were so jittery the crystal slipped. Tiny paws caught the crystal and gently slotted it into place before holding his hand._

It was such a kind gesture _._

_"Tini!" It shouted._

_"We can do this. We just have to get it right, they won't let us get a second chance." Mewtwo looked him over and put his paw on Ash's shoulder._

_Ash nods, relaxing as he sat on the floor below Burnet-hakase and Kukui-hakase._

Delia relaxed too. Her son had this handled.

No he didn't.

He'd lost Pikachu.

_Mew was idly prodding them with a fascinated look, Ash smiled. Mew the legendary Pokemon poking the two prone fusions seemed almost comical._

_"Ashkan! Hoopa brought them!" Ash leaned back against his arms and tilted his head back to meet Hoopa's grinning face. There were nine people._

_And ten legendaries._

_Not including the legendaries Ash had plus the three others fighting Pikachu._

_"Hoopa, you know what to do." Ash said climbing to his feet and tucking cream furred legendary against his neck as he spread his feet and nodded to Mewtwo. Mewtwo nods and brings the two Professors together with a single space between them._

_"We don't even know the plan?" Ash flicked a hand._

_"Stall." He said simply as a ring formed, sparks wildly shooting out._

_"How do you expect us to sta-" there was a choking noise. The Champion Cynthia rammed her elbow into the man's chest._

_"Just follow orders!" Cynthia barked and Ash tucked and rolled as Hoopa was thrown through his portal with a sharp cry._

_Pikachu was being wrestled in by the other legendary pokemon. It was over in an instant for them, embedded into craters smoking and unmoving._

_Ash was back up on his feet moving hands and feet into movements._

Movements she'd seen him along with three others and the duo perform. 

How long had he been up now?

_Exhaustion seemed to weigh his limbs down and yet his movements were clear and precise. Fluidity and grace in each move._

_One arm raised over the other, one leg in the air, he synchronized with the lightning legendary as Registeel, Regiice, Regirock and Regigigas all fired their strongest attacks at Pikachu._

_Once more a being of ethereal light rose from the ground and wreaked havoc._

_Mewtwo was blown away, releasing Burnet-hakase and Kukui-hakase. Ash twisted and axe kicked Pikachu, slamming his beloved partner into the ground in an explosion of lightning._

_A thunderous boom echoed as smoke drifted lazily upwards._

_Raikou and Entei didn't hesitate and fired striking at the Professors who blocked the attacks with protect and stone edge. Ash whirled around, dizzy and yet he still moved into a kantonese guard Gary Oak had once taught him._

_Twin hyperbeams struck the being of pure light._

_Ash, in his effort to protect the etheral being had left himself open._

Delia squeezed Professor Oak's hand tightly as she hastily scrubbed away tears _._

_Stone edge rising in a circle around him, he lashed out with a spinning kick breaking stone and sending the Professors, and Palkia flying. He threw himself out of the center, tucking and rolling along side the ethereal creation._

_He sprung to his feet as Pikachu unleashed a powerful attack._

_" **Reshiram, Articuno, Palkia, Regigigas, now!** " Someone cried and they could only watch as Pikachu was struck from all sides. _

_A large explosion._

_An even bigger smokescreen._

_**"PIKACHU!!!!!"** he cried out rushing forward despite the battle raging all around him. _

_He ran blindly despite nearly being struck by a few attacks before the battlefield fell to a complete stand still on both sides._

Could one die of a broken heart?

_All that mattered to him, was his partner._

_All that mattered in that moment..._

_Was Pikachu._

_The beast regurgitated Pikachu, shriveling up and reaching out to grab Pikachu still. Ash slapped the hand away. Falling to his knees as he choked back a sob. With trembling hands he reached forward and lifted the limp mouse into his arms._

_ "Pikachu?" Ash whispers, tears startled out of him when Pikachu remained limp in his hold. _

_Still._

_So very still._

* * *

Delia moaned, curling into Samuel's side.

"My son." She keened. Samuel could do nothing to console her. Even if Pikachu was alive now, that did not take the pain Ash had dealt with.

_Kukui and Burnet rocketed forward, Several of the others had launched forward regardless of their side. Regardless of their conditions._

_Mainly Lance and Diantha who were standing by will power alone, but they had been stopped by the djinn mythical._

_It was in tears. Arms outstretched as it glared angrily._

His dearest friend's bond to his beloved partner had been forcefully severed.

It was cruel. Cruel for one destined for greatness.  
  
He can only pray that this is the furthest the world will ever go.

_"STAY AWAY!" Ash screamed curling further over Pikachu._

Samuel flinched at the raw pain in his voice. His sobs striking him. Delia flinched with each sob heard.

_**"YOU'VE** DONE **ENOUGH!** JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!" He raged angrily despite the sobs racking his frame. It tore at every heart to witness._

_The one being in the whole world that Ash had chosen._

_That had chosen him in turn._

_Was gone._

_"Pikachu!" His wails were agonizing to listen to. _

_Worse to see him completely fall apart as he cradled his partner ever so gently in his arms and jostled him with the greatest care._

_As if he could rouse him._

_His denial at the truth staring them all in the face._

How could fate be so **cruel?**

_Even more heartbreaking was the small mythical crying hysterically as it tried to do something to Pikachu but nothing happened._

_The mythical shaking Ash's shoulder as if trying to get him to wake Pikachu._

_A blue fire sparked to life, growing wildly._

_Rapidly engulfing Ash and Pikachu before shrinking._

_A sphere formed around them. Lashing out wildly._

_Slowly being contained into a smaller sphere._

_Occasionally a flare would strike out._

_Seemingly fighting Ash._

"Ash told me he had Aura. The potential of an aura Guardian. He didn't want it." Delia whispered tearfully.

_Watched the small mythical on Ash's shoulder press impossibly small paws to Ash's cheek and chant its name as if willing Ash strength._

_The unovan mythical seemed to be highly aware of what Ash was doing as it did something, gold light mixing with the aura._

It was truly fascinating. Had this been not such a dire moment, Samuel would be excitedly talking about the unovan Mythical and its trust for Ash.

But how could he?

When he could still hear sobs of anguish?

How could he, when he could see the devastation across everyone's faces?

_Cynthia stood beside Lance, of their group only Diantha, Agatha, Noland and Brandon remained. Brandon keeping his eyes on the possessed Professors with a glare._

_Lance wrapped an arm around his ribs with a wince then turned to Diantha who was closer._

_Brandon order his pokémon to attack._

"Ash had told us that the only way to free those possessed was to knock the Nihilego out with a strong attack." For once Samuel could care less for watching the pokemon. His eyes were riveted to the screen where Ash cradled Pikachu in his arms.

_To their amazement._

_Pikachu moved._

_Smiling up at Ash._

_"Pikachu moved." Diantha whispered hoarsely, tears clinging to her lashes._

_" **Hey... buddy..."** Ash's voice was weak, fading out near the end. He exhaled softly shoulders slumping, Diantha shot them a horrified look._

_"Pikapi?" Pikachu's voice cracked hoarsely, it raised itself and licked Ash's cheek._

_Cynthia wrapped Lance's arm over her shoulder and helped him limp over._

_Ash stared vacantly at nothing, before his body fell limp, like a puppet cut from its strings._

_With a shout several people and pokemon reached forward only to be beaten by a tentacle. Ash remained unaware, completely unconscious with his eyes open._

_Pikachu moaned, fainting into his partner._

_The small mythical burst into hysterical tears and flew to the djinn mythical, Hoopa. Who was watching them with a solemn look on its normally grinning face._

_"Hoopa **warned** you. Hoopa warned you not to get in the way! That Ashkan won't be able to keep going!" The djinn was petting the smaller mythical with a fearsome scowl. _

_Mewtwo appeared enraged as it forcibly slammed Kukui and Burnet into the ground even as Ash was gently picked up._

_Mew and Darkrai hovering above and below him protectively._

_There was screaming._

_Then silence._

_The two Professors were free._

_Diantha quickly stepped forward towards Burnet reaching down to check her pulse._

_The unovan Professor reached out with a shaking hand and with tears in her eyes called out weakly. Voice slurring as she kept reaching, Diantha shushed her and held her hand, Burnet passed out._

_Agatha was reassuring Kukui but the stubborn man would not rest. Brandon stepped forward, scowling as he threw the weakened man over his shoulder._

_"Do us all a favor and pass out already." He stated bluntly as he moved so Kukui could see Burnet and Ash with Pikachu. Kukui passed out, tears of relief leaking down his cheeks._

_"Hoopa, if you could take us to a hospital. And return the Legendary Pokemon to their homes, we would greatly appreciate it." Cynthia and Lance bowed._

* * *

_Hoopa scowled at them, freeing a hand from the Unova mythical's back and sent a ring to the Legendary Pokemon one at a time._

_Giratina merely rumbled in displeasure and huffed near Ash, it was fascinating, then nodded to Mewtwo before roaring and heading for the lake._

_It dove in and was gone from view._

That stupid twerp!

Worrying about them when he should have worried about himself.

How could they have known this would happen?

Nothing like this had ever happened.

Jessie had had her heart broken many times. For various reason. None had ever been this cruel.

_"Tini." The unovan mythical warbled pressing small paws, that trembled, to Burnet and Kukui's bodies before disappearing. Hoopa had its arm open still, ring floating above them._

_"Hoopa will take the humans and Ashkan to hospital." Ash was lowered to the ground and the remaining legendaries crowded around him._

_They said nothing, simply watched him before stepping back allowing Hoopa to bring their ring down upon them all._

_They too vanished, leaving only Mew, Darkrai, and Mewtwo. Hoopa and Victini were set to go through the portal as it slowly descended._

_There seemed to be a moment where Mewtwo communicated with the Champions, elites and brains before a ring slowly was lowered down over them completely._

_They were gone._

_Mewtwo looked up and used psychic. Mew helped the legendary to restore the paradisde._

_Darkrai vanished._

That would explain why everything had been pristine when they came back later in disguise as part of the joint clean up crew Alola assembled. 

James tightened his hold around her.

"The world is too cruel to one so kind." He whispered painfully. She nodded. They had all the information.

They could not give any if it to the boss.

Not when they had already picked their side.

The rumors of the Chosen One were false. They would not fuel the fires.

And if they were caught, she'd take the blame.

~~She had nothing left to lose in this world aside from the bonds she created.~~


End file.
